A slightly longer day today and tomorrow, with the biggie on Saturday. I’m bowling along as usual, thinking my innocent little thoughts about sweetie mice and pink ribbons when this large old woman in a very dirty blouse and skirt starts yelling at me. I check the map that I’m on the public right of way, shout ‘Publica’ at her while pointing at the track. No good. She starts screaming and gesticulating. I have no idea what is bugging her, so just keep walking on. I must have been able to hear her for minutes and she never once paused in her diatribe. And, for all I know, she is going still.
There ya go. Big juicy Lanzarote grapes.Just leaving Montaña Blanca. Who put the cat in the catus? Oops Cactus.The sentry cat while the great cat mother of cactus sleeps.The snails do love any sort of post. Gets them of the boiling hot ground, I suppose.Climbing up through the pass and leaving old Montaña Blanca and its one horse behind. You can just see a whiff of cloud still spooling off the top of the mountain. There were great grey and white streamers like massive banners coming off it as I was tooling up in the taxi, but I’ve missed them.Over the saddle and on my way down to the outskirts of Tías on the left. It is very pleasant in the shade of the volcano ‘cos it is 24 degrees already.Round the shoulder of that last one and now, a lovely bit of tarmac taking me up through that village then to a pass to the west between the two above it.No grass etc. but you can still make a nice garden.Looking back at La Asomada as I head up to the pass and my date with a rabid local woman.Advertise your website in tiles.Mad shouty woman was at that graffiti strewn building on the right. She’s gone in for a much needed lie down, so peace at last. Maybe she needed rescue?Everywhere you look in these valleys between the volcanoes, pits for the vines. It must have been the work of centuries. This area is called La Geria and has numerous bodegas. Those volcanoes in the distance are part of the Timanfaya national park.I think that post means no Canadians. Not big wine lovers, I hear.Its hard being different. I wonder, are the grapes from that one white?In case you think that these are empty. That is the severely cut vine in the centre of the pit. As you know vines are normally cultivated by tying them to endless wires strung on trellises across the landscape, wholly necessary to support the weight of the grapes. But here; the new growth is supported by the bowl shape and, given that no pests can live in the sterile black ash, the grapes are happy on the ground. Brill eh?The green bit is Uga, good for a café and a short sit down. Then around to the right for the finish at Yaiza.This is an illustration of why human operators turn computers systems to shit. One day a new apprentice is taken on by the bodega. New apprentice decides she doesn’t like circles and creates rectangular pits in defiance of hundreds of years of tradition. Result, my child can’t get proper Universal Credit.The mountains of the last day.Now, I know that you are wondering about that big pit. Bear baiting perhaps – remember if ever stuck in a bear pit keep asking them to bring you a bigger bear until its big enough that you can clamber up on its shoulders and jump out. But what is it for? Hmmm.A cat’s head shaped wall. Superb.The pride is strong in the signage.Another pristine, empty playground. Where be the pesky kids?Centre for the cultural appreciation of the camel? I’m all for the accountability of the public sector, but down to the last 18p?All very strange. We had a bit of the camel stuff yesterday as well.Now the path of the camels. This has me thinking, wouldn’t be funny to run into a camel?And the camel man cometh.With his caravan / train of camels.Ok. I know they give people rides on the things but where the fuck do they do it in this landscape?The camel path through the lava. Not sure of the value of turning up in your touristy clothes and your flipflops to ride on a beast that has to be muzzled so it don’t bite your toes off. But where do they take them for this ride? Where? And where do the camels stay during the day? And do they put them in the big pit at night.Still without answers, I reach Yaiza. A nice vibe to this town as you lot would say. Coffee, cyclists and hikers.The bus brings me in on the South side so, I can give you a view of Arrecife beach.
A bit hot today. The factor 50 only lasts for 4 hours or so before needing renewal. The bus that I was hoping for didn’t turn up. So, waited an hour and ten for the next and missed the swimming pool again. Ho Hum.
