Maspalomas - a very different kind of beach On a day that a calima had blown sand in from the Sahara, we went on our next day trip to see to a very different kind of beach....but first the bus trip. To get to most places from our home base in Playa de Arinaga we have to first take a short bus ride to a crossroads in the town of Arinaga (referred to as Cruce de Arinaga). There are a few exceptions, one of which is to Maspalomas - the bus runs every couple of ho...

Las Palmas The capital of Gran Canaria is in many ways no different to any large city. Las Palmas has lots of shops and restaurants spread throughout its areas. There's plenty to keep people busy, well fed and entertained. It's also the hub of the public transportation system on the island. One company - Global - uses blue buses to move people around the island. Within the city boundaries are yellow buses which run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Both com...

A hike + a day trip to Agüimes Playa de Arinaga is a coastal town, but there's also Cruce de Arinaga, a 10 minute bus ride away, which initially can be confusing when trying to sort out the local buses! Located in the southeast of Gran Canaria they're both local areas and not overly visited by tourists. The beach (Playa) town has an amazing coastline - but for anyone considering a visit here they should know that it's one of the windiest areas on the isl...

Ottawa/Malaga/Playa de Arinaga- Gran Canaria On a day that was bitterly cold and getting colder, we boarded a train leaving Ottawa for Montreal. 90 mins later, we took the handy shuttle bus that makes the quick trip from Dorval train station to the airport. After an easy check in and security, we boarded an overnight flight across the Atlantic. Gaining 6 hours, but losing a night's sleep, we arrived in Malaga at 9.30 local time. We'd pre-arranged an airport ...

THE WINES OF THE DUORO - and Adeus to Portugal Because this is the last chapter of my writing efforts in 2022 - a big thank you for reading any, all - or even part of it. Thanks for supporting and indulging me in my hobby and "blogging" efforts - much appreciated! During the latter part of our time in Lamego, we took a trip to another town, saw Lamego's cathedral and visited the Caves da Raposeira - where the oldest sparkling wine in Portugal is pro...