Lanzarote - a week with Shye and Eliana

 Another week has passed, and with it the feeling that there is not enough time…
Sounds weird, I find myself surprised and smiling. how does it happen? Some have retired, stayed in Israel, live more or less the same, are missing 8+ hours of work a day, and report being busier than ever.
We retired to another life, meant to be with lots of free time, and it just fills up unnoticed. Between trips, social interactions (abundant), boat work, barely finding time to write ..
I forced myself to sit for a moment, and sum up a week laden with events, before the next one begins, and the new events will obscure the previous ones.
I told about the surprise that Shye and Eliana made for us in the previous post. The visit is successful for all of us. Spending time together but also separately, great dynamics. Yesterday they went out for a few days outside the boat, it is not yet clear when they will return, from a phone call now it sounds like they are having a lot of fun.
Their visit began with a joint trip to the coast off the Costa Blanca, in the south of the island. From the very unattractive town (kind of one big resort), half an hour walk to a lovely beach, this time white sand, not empty and isolated like the black one where Udi and I visited on a previous trip. We found a beautiful and quiet rocky corner, a beautiful marine cave and settled down. We  also stayed on the white sand, and returned to the boat.

We thought on the way to look for a particular winery, the wine from which we sipped with great pleasure the previous evening. The attempt failed, but there is no doubt that on the subject of wine and wineries we will have to devote time, and equip Ester. The wine here is simply excellent. Interesting flavors we did not know.
Growing vines here, and in agriculture in general, is an interesting topic in itself. As I described in the previous post, the island is completely dry and especially windy. A few millimeters of rain, the weather is stable, and the winds are also stable - blowing almost constantly. To grow something here you have to be a "Buddhist farmer". If you do not give each and every plant personal attention, it just will not work. Part of the matter is that each vine has its own dimple and wall. Enormous plots, volcanic soil (tuff, like the one bought with a lot of money in nurseries). Stone walls in half of the threshing floor around each vine, as protection from the wind and collecting some of the moisture that comes with the passing clouds, which usually do not rain, but do bring moisture with them. Hard to believe, but it works. And perhaps all this form of growth + the minerals in the special soil, are what give the wine its special taste.

In the meantime, Shye and Eliana get to know the "pirates" and as we expected, the connection was immediate. A joint dinner of chicken curry + vegetarian curry from the wonderful Chili cuisine, with my modest addition, fresh ravioli with homemade pesto (my basil continues to turn green), received with pleasure, lots of beer and wine, the atmosphere is warm and happy. We, the elders, retire, but it turns out that the celebration continues even without us, and more and more join, move to another boat and continue to celebrate. We are happy with Shye and Eliana, who are also experiencing a vacation of their own, and do not seem to be bored.
After a day of recovery from the festivities, Shye and Eliana pack up and set off. We go on a visit to the Cactus Garden, which is one of the "must-see" sites for tourists in Lanzarote. Does not sound exciting to me, and I'm afraid of tourist congestion, but there is no choice, after all we are tourists here.
Surprise! Not just because of the cacti, but the whole complex, designed by a genius architect (César Manrique), a Lanzarotian who spent many years outside of it, and returned to it with a unique building style and design. Apart from the architectural influence, and perhaps more importantly, managed to pass some municipal laws that preserve the special character of the place: Low construction - no buildings exceeding 2 floors, except for an ugly hotel built before the law came out to convey. In addition, billboards must not be hung! Only when it is gone, you notice how much it has taken over our landscape in cities, on the roads, reminding every moment, that what drives the world is money. Because he cared about the destruction of the island because of the tourism that grew stronger here, on the contrary, he increased the number of tourists because of these laws, which preserve the unique character of the place. Much of the new construction is influenced by its style, all the houses are painted white, not extravagant, the tourist areas are separated from the countryside. In short, I fell in love with Lanzarote and tasted just the tip. There are more weeks to enjoy the island bit by bit. We got into a sort of routine of 2-3 days getting out of the boat to visit sites and hiking trails, the rest, on and off, housework. What we call "boat days."
Back in the cactus garden, I finally understood what Jonathan Lahav (Timurim) understood at the age of 13, when he set up a cactus greenhouse in the backyard, and worked on variety and reproduction (splitting). I could not stop taking pictures. Now let's see how to select up to 10 images from maybe a hundred:

Even the entrance to the bathroom is designed

And I even managed to "cheat" on my fellow divers That it's coral ...

Carefully measured

Well ... maybe a little over ten ...

After the cactus garden we thought of going to another site, one of the most famous on the island, also Manrick's work, but I felt unable to contain any more beauty that day, and we decided to return to the boat. Each departure from the boat is a journey in itself, which combines a bicycle, a bus, sometimes hitch hiking, a stop at a restaurant you already know on the way, and of course back to Siesta, even if at 4-5 in the afternoon. We have no choice we are in Spain…
A Saturday market, and some "home" shopping led us to the next interesting meeting. We went back to Bar Andalusia which has become our home restaurant (tapas), to book a table, and leave some of the shopping. Outside sat a woman, about 30-40 years old with a Spanish guitar and a rough voice that only Spanish singers have. The Andalusian-style songs, some of which we know, are performed by David Broza. charming! We left to make a few more arrangements, before the stores close at four, and returned to the table we ordered. Thankfully, she's still there. Since she saw that we were back, she joined the table, and gave us a "private performance" and dedicated one of the love songs to Udi:

Sandra sings a love song to Udi ...

For those who want to get to the bar is worth it!

Before we said goodbye to her, I asked where she could be seen performing. Turns out next time, tomorrow, at the marina bar. We of course settle in, right in our backyard. This time the audience is different, evening time, and still the experience is exciting. At the end of the show we exchanged phones so she could update me on upcoming shows.

The following video is limited to over the age of 16 and for those with a strong heart ... 

Another lovely day trip. This time in the northern part of the island, near the high volcano on the island called by the popular name today… Corona! Once again the unique agriculture and spectacular views of the cliffs that fall into the sea and the small island to the north, La Graciosa, to which we will sail in a few days.

Agriculture in the shade of (mountain) Corona that is slowly covered with a veil of cloud ...

The corona is covered in fog , live broadcast

For those who want to hike beautyful  routes signs. Lots of interesting information along the way Mainly about geological phenomena. Not boring..

Sunday - Hunting Day ...

It is not clear to us what they are hunting

Today we said goodbye to the pirates, Paula got off the boat, at least for now, and the crew (Chili and Thomas) had to change their identity… Today the "scientists" they host on the boat arrive… Shower, comb their hair and wear team shirts! No more half-naked body, paint and grease, cheers and shouts, and bell-ringing. With these guests they will wander around various sites in the Canaries for two weeks, and collect samples from the sea. We already understood that we would meet again later. The sea is great, but the wanderers in it wander in the footsteps of the wind, in the same directions and in the same seasons.

farewell to beautiful Paula.

farewell dinner on Ester

An insight that came to me following Tomer's question, have we become "bourgeois yachtsmen sitting in marinas." Suddenly the token fell that there are no such here. we moor in the marina, as there are no protected bays, but not really bourgeois. A different character of sailors from most of those who roam the Mediterranean. No more motor boats, no more charter boats, with people dressed in white or at most blue and white stripes. All the boats around are Ester style, of real sailors. The boat is not measured by the level of pinion and lightning, but by the type of equipment installed on it. There are no "naked" boats. All with means of creating energy, solar and electricity, all sail boats, because otherwise it is impossible to travel the world. In short, the boat is mostly measured by the equipment, many of which are "improvements" by the sailors, and the amount of experience, how many years at sea and how many oceans you have already known. Basically people who are more like us, limited budget, adventure seekers, eager to meet and hear stories about the big world. Everyone busy preparing the boats, learning the weather and routes, in preparation for the next cruise.
Shye and Eliana are seen a little. They had already met a cute bunch of Italians, who came for coffee on the boat. They travel with them, spend evenings, with us in the mornings, until they move. Tomorrow we go out for three days on a small island, where you can moor in the bay (without a marina). I miss jumping into the sea.  

 

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.