We only dropped in on Gran Canaria for three days. Enough to get a feel for it, but not too long to get bored.
What delighted us? The spirals and serpentines on the narrow mountain streets made Daria nauseous. For me, on the other hand, it was paradise. True, we operate the gas, clutch, brake and gears the whole way, but moving on winding asphalt, usually narrow, roads; amidst greenery, with incredible views – that’s something! We drove a rented convertible, so you could feel the wind in your hair and emotions like from James Bond, who, if he races somewhere in a car, usually in similar landscapes.
Contrasts. We set off from the hotel somewhere on the mountain, climb the car a little higher to walk in the forest. Laurel trees, conifers, a lot of species of deciduous trees, ferns, moss and you can feel the cool Polish spring. Dariia wrapped in a blanket. We walk in the freezing rain, amidst the fog, the cold is really piercing. Just jump in the car and speed down for an hour to find yourself on a sunny beach and lie on a blanket to get a little tan.
Columbus Museum. I have never been a fan of museums, but there you can feel the colonial atmosphere, it smells of a Columbus cabin, and when we see two huge, multi-colored parrots sitting on the patio, we immediately start to think that Jack Sparrow will come from somewhere.
What didn’t impress us? The cuisine, not very Canarian and very touristy. The apartment, although that’s a story for a separate discussion. Las Palmas itself is simply a large city with palm trees along the road. It doesn’t scare and absolutely doesn’t discourage, but honestly, I expected more.
For us, the Canary Islands generally have such a charm that it would be a sin to miss them. Gran Canaria itself didn’t offer us anything extraordinary but it definitely intrigued us.