Christmas Day 2012

Up at the crack of dawn (no, only joking!!) breakfast feast and off to catch the bus down the island to a lovely place called Garachico. A pretty hairy journey, lots of precipitous drops, hairpins bends and of course the manic speed freak who was our driver all made it fun ??!!

I did say a quiet prayer on the way into the bus I must admit. Please God.....

Garachico is a pretty sleepy fishing village, normally very quiet I'm sure but today there was what seemed to be a karaoke in full swing being broadcast round the streets. We figured out that in the end it was just a bar with speakers outside for the fiesta day. Oh and the firecrackers being let off at random by teenage boys..... menaces !!

I jumped each and every time of course.

We wandered up and down the steep streets, along the amazing walkways on the sea front - the paths were built onto the eroded lava (the whole island is one gigantic volcano and its lava flows) and eventually found the old fishing port itself and the rather odd modern sculptures.

We had a picnic lunch at the most wonderful old convent which is now an old people's home - it must have the best architecture and views in the world for the geriatric . I wouldn't mind ending up there I must say, just gazing out over the Atlantic ocean daily and basking in that warmth. Just what old bones need ?

Another hair raising journey back to the hotel, cocktails, well cava, and another feast. Happy Xmas indeed, and for us, a very unusual one as no shopping, no packing, no stress and no dramas of any sort, just a lovely lovely time !!