Gran Canaria - yin (mother) of our planet

  Gran Canaria, Spain and Canary Islands
Saturday, November 12, 2005

Gran Canaria ~ Take the most popular landscapes from around the world and mix them together...you would create the total beauty of this island. Nicknamed the "miniature continent" for its varied landscapes, this capital of the Canaries is popular with many Europeans for the tropical settings.

Though the beaches are full of sunbathers and sports enthusiasts, the mountains hold most of this island's treasures. Many of the interior inhabitants still live in cave-like homes built by their rock-dwelling ancestors.

Pastel-colored houses covered the hillside in Las Palmas, the capital city of Gran Canaria and the Canary Islands. This city is also the home to the "House of Columbus", in which this 'casa' was never visited by its namesake but does offer a great example of Canarian architecture.

We enjoyed an exploration to the top of Gran Canaria in Cruz de Tejeda, where local farmers sell their handmade goods and gather to offer rides with their donkeys for weekend visitors.

What we liked about Gran Canaria:
1. The most varied landscape from a "grand canyon" type appearance to the dunes of Sahara desert to tropical gardens that make the rain forest look dry
2. An uplifting moment that we hiked up to Roque Nublo ~ a 45-minute hike up through a pine tree forest and along a mountainous ridge, to reach outstanding vistas
3. The Botanical gardens in Las Palmas which offered a beautiful representation of all indigenous plant forms found on the islands.

What we didn't care for on Gran Canaria:
1. True to its name, it felt like a continent after a day of driving along its ever-windy roads
2. Even with its varied and beautiful landscapes, this island is unable to produce a drinkable wine ~ but it did offer a sweet Date palm rum that could double as syrup
3. Many interior townships consisted of houses built from caves, including most rural restaurants. One cave-dwelling tourist trap is interesting, many become...uninteresting.
4. Signs to the city's attraction didn't really help the foreign visitors ~ it would be lucky to find what you are looking for, like 'Museo Canario' whose sign faces the opposite way on an one-way street