Something I forgot to mention about my brush with the police on Wednesday. Before we flew out I read in the paper that after 1st Jan we might need an International Licence to drive in the EU. I assumed it was nonsense written to fill the paper but being a bit of a worrier I drove over to Church Stretton Post Office to buy a licence just in case. It is a bit crap, the lady in the Post Office sticks (with glue) the picture you have given her into a cardboard folder, writes in your details (driving licence number, age, what you are allowed to drive), adds a few ink stamps and that’s it. It looks like a club membership card for the local fishing club. I am sure my Corgi members card which I got in 1958 was similar (the small die-cast cars, not the dogs).
And lo and behold the policeman who stopped me for speeding was more than happy with my normal EU style licence so it seems my £6 investment in an international licence was a complete waste of time and money.
On Saturday we spent a pleasant hour in the sunshine watching workmen clearing loose rocks in the cliffs above the village, part of which has been closed off for some weeks as a precaution. The men were right at the top, probably 500ft up so when the stones came down the cliff it looked like they could cause some damage. They also used explosive at one point, every small boys dream job, swinging about on the cliffs, blowing things up and making a mess, I was very envious.
We enjoyed our two weeks in Puerto Tazacorte, there are plenty of people (Germans) staying the whole winter so there is enough custom to keep the place ticking over. The only irritating thing was we did not find the best restaurant until the middle of the second week, from the outside it is a bit scruffy but the food was good, it reminded us of our favourite Italian from the 70’s, Milli Pini’s in Holborn. We did manage eat there on three evenings once we discovered it.
We have now moved back to Santa Cruz and are staying in a funky apartment in a 500 year old building right in the centre of the city. To get here we drove round the bottom of the island and had lunch in the posh restaurant we failed to reach on the electric bikes. Gill was making sure I made good my promise of a meal there. The setting is wonderful (banner picture at the top of the page), and the food is fine. It is right in the middle of a salt works, lots of lagoons full of pink water.
They make a big thing about being in the Michelin Guide but the food in restaurant we ended up in after our shortened cycling trip in the rain was better.
Whilst we were there a coach party of Germans from a cruise ship arrived for a tour of the works, we thought all the cruise ships had been closed down but it seems they are letting a few brave souls on board.
We have a few walks planned this week and the weather forcast is fair so stand by for news of sore feet and weary legs.