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Canary Islands: Lanzarote (March 2007)

In March 2007 we visited Lanzarote - the 4th largest of the Canary Islands.  It is an Island full of surprise landscapes and beauty.  Situated a mere 79 miles off the cost of North Africa, the Island has beaches of white Sahara sand to contrast the jagged landscape of black volcanic rock from the 32 volcanoes on the island.  It was a holiday to remember - something none of us had ever seen before...

For a map of Lanzarote, click here

The beachfront at Playa Blanca - on the southern tip of this beautiful Volcanic Island. Sunshine enough for all - and more!Another shot of the main beach front at Playa Blanca. A site for sore eyes for a family coming out of the British winter blues!The beach cafe on Playa BlancaJoshua & Misha swam every day. On the first day they swam in their clothes.The resort we stayed at for the 10 days we were there. Excellent facilities and lovely serene surroundings.The landscape was dotted with large houses like this one.We took a camel ride up the slopes of Mt Timanfaya - the dominant mountain in the region.Spitting distance...A windy day at El Golfo. Clear signs of wind erosion in the volcanic strata.Joshua in his element with a chunk of volcanic rockEl Golfo - a crater filled with sea water. The green colour is due to algae in the warm water.One of many monstrous craters surrounding Mt TimanfayaAnother of the craters surrounding TimanfayaBits of rock strewn like shrapnel across the landscape from the powerful explosions in the 1800s.The temperature just a foot or so below the ground on Timanfaya is such that a dry tumbleweed shoved into a hole bursts into flame within a minute.Pouring water into a hole in the ground results in an instant geyserA hole in the ground is used as an oven to cook all the meat and fish served at the restaurant on Mt TimanfayaMisha tucking into some chicken cooked over the volcano. What a treat that was!Josh & Misha sitting on some of the lava that covers most of the island's surfaceJoshua & Misha enjoying another swim in the emerald watersPumice is strewn around in abundance - even the playgrounds are covered with these tiny little black, porous stonesFun on the rocks...One end of Jameos del Agua - a lava tunnel or "jameos" (pronounced hum-eh-oss) with an underground lake in it. Note the "pouring" rock mass over the entry point. A restaurant inside Jameos del AguaAn ornate staircase built out of volcanic rocks at Jameos del AguaA swimming pool at the house of Cesar Manrique - a famous architect and sculptor of Lanzarote.A street market in San Bartolome - a quaint village in the central part of the islandPausing for a photo in San BartolomeA shot of the resort at night.

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