Arrival to Gran Canaria

We have been preparing our winter getaway to Gran Canaria for a while but without using all the resources in hand, as we have been busy with events such as shows, musicals and other productions with Helston Theatre Company and dealing with our daily life in beautiful Cornwall. A good friend is house-sitting for us and that is an extra reassurance that our Home will be cared for.

Our flight was scheduled for December 11, 2023, from Exeter Airport. We booked a taxi from home as leaving the car in the airport parking for such a long period is very expensive and we have used the taxi service before, which is excellent. On this ocassion we were transported in an electric car and the experience was very good in the Tesla model Y but the front seats are so big that one cannot see much from the back.

The flight from TUI was scheduled to departure at 09:45 and it took off on time on a sunny day from Exeter. It was quite full and almost no available seats but the journey was pleasant and we landed on time, but opposite to the past years, going through customs was slow as the British passports were checked in detail as a consequence of leaving the EU.

Our sister Agnes was waiting for us and it was very nice to hug her after 2 years. Johnny took over the car keys, that Agnes very kindly is lending us for the duration of our stay, and half an hour later we arrived to our accommodation for the next 6 weeks - we were a bit slow booking a home for the 3 months and Gran Canaria is extremely busy again, so we resolved to book what was inmmediately available and eventually the remaining 6 weeks.

We are staying in Holycan, a private tranquil complex right in the centre of Playa del Ingles. Nice house with 3 bedrooms and good private outdoor space.

We have already enjoyed beautiful time with lunch and dinner with family, and due to the weather being a bit more unsettled than expected, we have been to Puerto de Mogan a few times, as the wind does not like that area too much. We also learned that the beach holds the record for the “sunniest beach” in the planet.

It is holidays after all, so we have been in a couple of restaurants to test the newcomers:

Mana264 in Avda. de Tirajana : Johnny fancied a paella and as this restaurant was recently opened we decided to try it. The decoration and the setting is very nice with good quality produce and a rich wine list. We chose a “Paella ciega de mariscos” to share as main course, and two starters, “croquetas de jamon de jabugo” and “carpacio de salmon”. The first two were very nice but the carpacio didn’t offer much except a vast amount of parmesan slices (really?, that is a not a good combination). That night the service was a bit chaotic with the waiter dropping the lemon wedge when he was dressing the salad and picking it up from the table to squeeze straight away onto the carpacio, not a good service. Overall, it was a pleasant dinner because the company of Agnes but the waiters were over loaded and perhaps it is a bit expensive. This is what Leslie said to the maitre when we left:

Everything was nice but please, tell your team not to constantly touch their noses, then food and then serve. Oops!

Mar Gastrotasca in Las Canteras promenade, Las Palmas. We went to the capital to spend some time with Johnny’s niece and nephew, also called Johnny, who lives in Hastings and is currently spending time on the island due to family matters. We went for lunch at this new restaurant right on the promenade and were pleasantly surprised by the food, which offers a taste of the island’s gastronomy with a modern touch. Very reasonably priced and with relaxed and friendly staff attending to the guests. Top-notch!