Fuerteventura 2024

Fuerteventura March 2024

We decided we needed some spring sunshine and, more importantly, warmth so popped down to TUI and booked to go to Fuerteventura. Neither of us had been to that island before so it was a new adventure.

We took an afternoon flight so we were late getting there and didn't see anything of the island on the way to the Riu Palace, Jandia where we were staying.

The next morning we opened the curtains and saw our view - what a lovely surprise!

There was some interesting art work around the hotel. The rabbit and dog were the same as those around London, promoting protection for endangered species.

We didn't do much on the first day but managed a walk over to Morro Jable - lots of beautiful flowers to see along the way.

We had dinner in the hotel (buffet style so nice and easy for our first night).

Monday arrived and I went to the gym slightly earlier so got a glimpse of the sunrise from the pool area. Perhaps I'll get up earlier still one day and go down to the beach for a better view!

It was very strange (but pretty) to have a "rainbow" across my breakfast - didn't change the taste!

We did quite a bit of sitting, relaxing and reading etc. but I did manage to go for a stroll into Jandia after breakfast / brunch. I walked along the promenade, admiring the protected area which was a mixture of tall grasses and rough ground. There was a walkway to the lighthouse but it was too busy for my liking so I admired it from a distance!

There was lots of artwork to see and the odd bit of wildlife in the protected area. I particularly liked the statue of the turtle with its babies. I got just past the skeleton of the sperm whale before I turned round and went back.

We stolled along the beach, back past the hotel, taking photos as we went.

I'm sure my legs aren't really this long!

sunrise

We had to get up a bit earlier today because we were going on a boat trip. The gym was still closed when I got there so I went for a sunrise walk instead. It was quite spectacular!

footsteps

There were only a few other people around at that time of day so plenty of clean and undisturbed sand to leave my mark on!

The sand that we could see from our balcony looked lovely (by the end of the day it had been trampled into a mess!)

We were duly collected and taken to Magic Deluxe, our catamaran for the day. There was plenty of space on board (only twelve guests and two crew). The crew were Spanish and the other guests were German - we were the only Brits. Everyone was friendly enough but there was little need to interact with so few people.

It was lovely to see dolphins splashing about but we were a bit concerned about how many boats were around them and how close they were getting. As soon as the dolphins had had enough they simply swam off at pace. I was delighted to get three photos of the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin using my iPhone.

Needless to say, Jonathon's dolphin photos using his super duper Nikon were of a different class!

We moored up for lunch (and swimming for those mad people who wanted the brave the cold Atlantic). We were surprised how close to the shore we were but perhaps that's where swimming is allowed. Lunch was very tasty but I think Jonathon would have preferred a pudding rather than the fancy Spanish liqueur we were offered (and declined).

We had a good view of our hotel from the water. I clings to the side of the cliffs hence all the stairs whenever we want to get anywhere.

There seemed to be a race back to harbour between the three "Magic" catamarans. I'm not sure which of the three entered the harbour first but we had to wait quite a while before we could get off and be transported back to the hotel.

I saw a few bits of wildlife on my walk. Plenty of seagulls and pigeons but the treat was a cheeky chipmunk who dashed into an area of camoflage as soon as he saw me lift my phone to take a picture (rubbish photo so not here).

The egret was strolling along one of the busy streets in Jandia - stupid bird - I think it must be quite normal because none of the locals took any notice.

Jonathon, having had a sit down while I was out and about, decided to go and shoot the sunset. I had a cuppa then went to join him (more the guard his kit than anything else). I didn't take any sunset photos other than with him in them!

sunset

This one is the sunset from our balcony

We've got to Wednesday (time seems to be flying along)!

Jonathon did a sunrise photo shoot while I went to the gym. It was open when I got there but the treadmill was broken so I did a bit of cycling and lifted a weight or two then went for a walk on the beach (J had gone back to the room by then).

His sandals were dry by the afternoon (apparently you get the best shots standing in the water!)

rope

This cheeky chipmunk was far braver than yesterday's (I spotted her on the way to the shops). I suspect humans feed her so that's what she was looking for but I had nothing for her today.

We went to the pool in the afternoon. I did swimming and Jonathon did floating and cooling his feet.

Today was apparently the day I walked to Jandia. I did it three times in all. The first to the shops, via the nature area; the second to check out the restaurant that we fancied for this evening and the third to actually go to the restaurant.

I counted the steps down to the beach from our room today - there are 99. The lift that would have taken us part of the way is out of order so we have no sensible, alternative way of getting there. With that and the walk to and from La Isla, Jonathon was tired out and had to have a rest before setting up for the sunset shots.

The photo (immediately below) from my iPhone makes the sunset look more dramatic than it actually was.

sunset

That said, Jonathon's photos also look pretty colourful!

Thursday morning and the alarm was set for a sunrise walk / photo shoot. I joined Jonathon on the beach to watch the sun come up then took myself off to the gym for a little bit of exercise, taking a photo or two on the way.

I turned right out of the hotel for my main walk today and visited Morro Jable for a change of scenery. It was an interesting place with statues of famous people from Fuerteventura dotted here and there, plenty of interesting building styles (albeit mainly flat roofed) and a good climb up to the viewing point).

ice cream shop

We decided we fancied an ice cream so headed back to Chilli Chocolate (delicious and home-made). A couple of chipmunks said hello as we walked there so Jonathon has now seen some as well.

sunset

Jonathon went up to the pool area to take some sunset shots for a change of viewpoint - it worked very well!

I can't believe we've already got to Friday - our last full day here.

Jonathon got up to takesome photos of the sunrise but it was far from spectacular so he took pictures of the waves instead.

I went for a walk up to the lighthouse (and back) to enjoy the early morning light followed by a quick visit to the gym.

I finished my book (An Equal Music by Vikram Seth) so popped that on the "sharing shelf" on my way to the pool for a swim.

My next "job" was to walk over to Morro Jable to check out restaurants for dinner. Neither of the two recommended on Trip Advisor were going to work for us so it was good that I checked.

Jonathon stayed in the room, enjoying the balcony and also "rescued" a pretty moth from our bathroom and popped it outside.

When I got back we popped to Chilli Chocolate for ice cream (hard to resist when it's so yummy!).

We realised that Marty & Davide was open today and had been recommended by the receptionist so that's where we decided to go to eat.

I had the Dorado (Sea Bream) - delicious but I wasn't expecting a whole fish, head, tail and all!

Jonathon had a very fancy pasta dish that he said was lovely. The same can't be said of the panna cotta that he had for pudding - apparently it had the texture of toothpaste!

Jonathon went up to the pool area for a final evening of sunset photos as last night seemed to work (saves him going up and down quite so many steps).

Our final day and I was the sunrise photographer for today while Jonathon had a sleep in.

I went as far as the sperm whale skeleton (near the lighthouse) and watched it come up - glorious!

I was really pleased to see an Ibis on the ground, gathering nesting material. I'd heard them flying about earlier in the week but this was the first one I saw close enough to photograph.

What will we miss? The sound of the sea, the view from our balcony, the warm sunshine, the sea air, the leisurely breakfasts / brunches, the "having nothing that needs to be done today" ....

What won't we miss? The stairs!!

Jonathon coped remarkably well with the stairs but I don't think we'll be coming back to this hotel again.

The journey to the airport was smooth but there wasn't a lot to see en route - lots of barren rock. It looked prettier when covered in sand (we weren't far from the Sahara).

We ate at Pomodoro at the airport - surprisingly tasty - then waited and waited for our plane. We eventually arrived back in Gatwick about 11.30 p.m. (or so) and it was gone 2 a.m. before we got home and to bed.

It was a lovely holiday but, on balance, we preferred Gran Canaria.

Fuerteventura March 2024
We decided we needed some spring sunshine and, more importantly, warmth so popped down to TUI and booked to go to Fuerteventura. Neither of us had been to that island before so it was a new adventure. We took an afternoon flight so we were late getting there and didn't see anything of the island on the way to the Riu Palace, Jandia where we were staying. The next morning we opened the curtains and saw our view - what a lovely surprise!

	Our room was lovely and spacious with a separate seating area and a great balcony. The hotel itself was very nice but it was like a maze (with lots of different staircases) and I got lost more than once trying to find my way back to the room. Perhaps it was a Spanish version of Hogwarts!?!
		There was some interesting art work around the hotel. The rabbit and dog were the same as those around London, promoting protection for endangered species.
We didn't do much on the first day but managed a walk over to Morro Jable - lots of beautiful flowers to see along the way.

	We had dinner in the hotel (buffet style so nice and easy for our first night). Monday arrived and I went to the gym slightly earlier so got a glimpse of the sunrise from the pool area. Perhaps I'll get up earlier still one day and go down to the beach for a better view! It was very strange (but pretty) to have a "rainbow" across my breakfast - didn't change the taste!

We did quite a bit of sitting, relaxing and reading etc. but I did manage to go for a stroll into Jandia after breakfast / brunch. I walked along the promenade, admiring the protected area which was a mixture of tall grasses and rough ground. There was a walkway to the lighthouse but it was too busy for my liking so I admired it from a distance!

There was lots of artwork to see and the odd bit of wildlife in the protected area. I particularly liked the statue of the turtle with its babies. I got just past the skeleton of the sperm whale before I turned round and went back.

		Major panic this afternoon because my new iPhone wouldn't accept the charging stick and I hadn't brought a "proper" camera with me! In the end it was just a tiny bit of debris that had snuck into the hole where the charger goes and we managed to get it out. Phew!
We went for an evening stroll, pausing to say hello to some local wildlife as we left the hotel. We headed in the direction of Jandia to look for a snack bar so we could eat before sunset but all we found was a cafe that sold home-made ice cream - it was very nice but hardly dinner! Some of the sculptures photographed much better in the softer evening light.

	We stolled along the beach, back past the hotel, taking photos as we went. I'm sure my legs aren't really this long!


	By then we were feeling hungry so went to Laja for dinner (swordfish for me, chicken for Jonathon) then wound our way back to the hotel. So much for not eating a late dinner. There were no puddings on offer so at least we weren't tempted by them! Tuesday and my birthday! Jonathon's was the only card we brought with us so I'll open the rest when I get home at the weekend.
We had to get up a bit earlier today because we were going on a boat trip. The gym was still closed when I got there so I went for a sunrise walk instead. It was quite spectacular!
		There were only a few other people around at that time of day so plenty of clean and undisturbed sand to leave my mark on!
	The sand that we could see from our balcony looked lovely (by the end of the day it had been trampled into a mess!) We were duly collected and taken to Magic Deluxe, our catamaran for the day. There was plenty of space on board (only twelve guests and two crew). The crew were Spanish and the other guests were German - we were the only Brits. Everyone was friendly enough but there was little need to interact with so few people.
	It was lovely to see dolphins splashing about but we were a bit concerned about how many boats were around them and how close they were getting. As soon as the dolphins had had enough they simply swam off at pace. I was delighted to get three photos of the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin using my iPhone.
		Needless to say, Jonathon's dolphin photos using his super duper Nikon were of a different class!


We moored up for lunch (and swimming for those mad people who wanted the brave the cold Atlantic). We were surprised how close to the shore we were but perhaps that's where swimming is allowed. Lunch was very tasty but I think Jonathon would have preferred a pudding rather than the fancy Spanish liqueur we were offered (and declined). We had a good view of our hotel from the water. I clings to the side of the cliffs hence all the stairs whenever we want to get anywhere.
		There seemed to be a race back to harbour between the three "Magic" catamarans. I'm not sure which of the three entered the harbour first but we had to wait quite a while before we could get off and be transported back to the hotel.
	We needed a few bits from the supermarket so I had another stroll along the beach (and a paddle this time). The afternoon light was lovely but walking on sand is definitely harder than pavement walking.
I saw a few bits of wildlife on my walk. Plenty of seagulls and pigeons but the treat was a cheeky chipmunk who dashed into an area of camoflage as soon as he saw me lift my phone to take a picture (rubbish photo so not here). The egret was strolling along one of the busy streets in Jandia - stupid bird - I think it must be quite normal because none of the locals took any notice.		Jonathon, having had a sit down while I was out and about, decided to go and shoot the sunset. I had a cuppa then went to join him (more the guard his kit than anything else). I didn't take any sunset photos other than with him in them!


This one is the sunset from our balcony We've got to Wednesday (time seems to be flying along)! Jonathon did a sunrise photo shoot while I went to the gym. It was open when I got there but the treadmill was broken so I did a bit of cycling and lifted a weight or two then went for a walk on the beach (J had gone back to the room by then). His sandals were dry by the afternoon (apparently you get the best shots standing in the water!)
	This cheeky chipmunk was far braver than yesterday's (I spotted her on the way to the shops). I suspect humans feed her so that's what she was looking for but I had nothing for her today.
We went to the pool in the afternoon. I did swimming and Jonathon did floating and cooling his feet. Today was apparently the day I walked to Jandia. I did it three times in all. The first to the shops, via the nature area; the second to check out the restaurant that we fancied for this evening and the third to actually go to the restaurant.
La Isla was very nice but the waitresses were rushed off their feet. By the time we were leaving a waiter had joined them but a lot of the guests had paid up and left so he probably wondered what the fuss was about.		I counted the steps down to the beach from our room today - there are 99. The lift that would have taken us part of the way is out of order so we have no sensible, alternative way of getting there. With that and the walk to and from La Isla, Jonathon was tired out and had to have a rest before setting up for the sunset shots. The photo (immediately below) from my iPhone makes the sunset look more dramatic than it actually was.

That said, Jonathon's photos also look pretty colourful!
Thursday morning and the alarm was set for a sunrise walk / photo shoot. I joined Jonathon on the beach to watch the sun come up then took myself off to the gym for a little bit of exercise, taking a photo or two on the way.


	I turned right out of the hotel for my main walk today and visited Morro Jable for a change of scenery. It was an interesting place with statues of famous people from Fuerteventura dotted here and there, plenty of interesting building styles (albeit mainly flat roofed) and a good climb up to the viewing point).

	I even managed to find an alley way or two! Very different from the tourist streets but also very close by - this is the alley between two streets of cafes and restaurants. I know I'm nearly back at the hotel when I can see this huge mound of sand joining the beach to the footpath.

We decided we fancied an ice cream so headed back to Chilli Chocolate (delicious and home-made). A couple of chipmunks said hello as we walked there so Jonathon has now seen some as well.	One of my "jobs" while walking round Morro Jable was to try and find somewhere for dinner this evening. I came across San Borondon and decided it would be good to try there. The food was delicious and more than plentiful and the waiter was lovely and friendly. One surprise was the lack of desserts - poor Jonathon! It was a very pleasant walk back to the hotel with very pretty evening light.

		Jonathon went up to the pool area to take some sunset shots for a change of viewpoint - it worked very well!
I can't believe we've already got to Friday - our last full day here. Jonathon got up to takesome photos of the sunrise but it was far from spectacular so he took pictures of the waves instead.		I went for a walk up to the lighthouse (and back) to enjoy the early morning light followed by a quick visit to the gym.

		I finished my book (An Equal Music by Vikram Seth) so popped that on the "sharing shelf" on my way to the pool for a swim. My next "job" was to walk over to Morro Jable to check out restaurants for dinner. Neither of the two recommended on Trip Advisor were going to work for us so it was good that I checked.
	Jonathon stayed in the room, enjoying the balcony and also "rescued" a pretty moth from our bathroom and popped it outside. When I got back we popped to Chilli Chocolate for ice cream (hard to resist when it's so yummy!).
We realised that Marty & Davide was open today and had been recommended by the receptionist so that's where we decided to go to eat. I had the Dorado (Sea Bream) - delicious but I wasn't expecting a whole fish, head, tail and all! Jonathon had a very fancy pasta dish that he said was lovely. The same can't be said of the panna cotta that he had for pudding - apparently it had the texture of toothpaste!		Jonathon went up to the pool area for a final evening of sunset photos as last night seemed to work (saves him going up and down quite so many steps).

Our final day and I was the sunrise photographer for today while Jonathon had a sleep in. I went as far as the sperm whale skeleton (near the lighthouse) and watched it come up - glorious! I was really pleased to see an Ibis on the ground, gathering nesting material. I'd heard them flying about earlier in the week but this was the first one I saw close enough to photograph.

I did a bit of treadmilling in the gym then went for breakfast. We got packed up and checked out then headed over to Chilli Chocolate for yet more ice-cream (Jonathon surprised me by deciding that his new favourite flavour is Stracciatella rather than Mint chocolate chip - wonders will never cease!) I went for one final walk before heading back to the hotel.

	On getting back to the hotel, I learned that our flight had been delayed but our transfer to the airport hadn't. At least the hotel was comfortable and cool (the temperature had soared from 20-25C to 30C today and we had to wear our "going home" clothes!)
		What will we miss? The sound of the sea, the view from our balcony, the warm sunshine, the sea air, the leisurely breakfasts / brunches, the "having nothing that needs to be done today" .... What won't we miss? The stairs!! Jonathon coped remarkably well with the stairs but I don't think we'll be coming back to this hotel again.
	The journey to the airport was smooth but there wasn't a lot to see en route - lots of barren rock. It looked prettier when covered in sand (we weren't far from the Sahara). We ate at Pomodoro at the airport - surprisingly tasty - then waited and waited for our plane. We eventually arrived back in Gatwick about 11.30 p.m. (or so) and it was gone 2 a.m. before we got home and to bed. It was a lovely holiday but, on balance, we preferred Gran Canaria.
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