THE WEATHER
January was weatherwise a turbulent month, cloudy, windy but a sunny spells as well, fortunately. The sea water is still around 19 degrees. Warm enough to take a plunge daily?! But February looks better. This week 6 days sunshine on my phone!!!!!
CHARCO LIVES
News item about Charco on Spanish Television.
Marco and Antonio, inhabitants of Charco, have been asked to tell something about life in a naturist village. It was a news item on a main Spanish television channel. The gist of it was that Charco is a quiet village where you can go about in the nude and experience how beneficial this is. Let’s just hope that buses full of Spaniards don’t arrive just to watch ‘the monkeys’.
ART MARKET
*An Art Market was organized at the Centro Comercial. It was a moderate thing but attracted many visitors, even all the way from Playa Blanca and Puerto Del Carmen.
La Plazita provided delicious, small tapas that were eagerly consumed. Due to its success they have decided to repeat this every second Friday of the month from now on.
SECOND HAND MARKET
‘*In Mala at Arte Mala there was a second-hand clothes Market, which atrracted a fair crowd, too. The money went to S.A.R.A. An animal protection project.
The second hand marked in Mala
THE MONKEY ROCK
The focus point of Charco del Palo is the Monkey Rock. Many people gather there to dive or swim. It is a meeting place for many nationalities. You hear a variety of languages. To get to the sea you have to go down the steps. There used to be only a sand or rocky path down. Later steps were made and a few years ago a real staircase was built with a rope handrail. The name ‘Monkey Rock’ comes from the Gibraltar Rock, where monkeys roam around freely. In Charco it is the naturists who clamber over the rocks like monkeys. We have not lost our origins! There is some tension between the people who frequent this place: divers in full regalia and the naturists. It sometimes causes friction. Fishermen are actually not allowed to come here, but it is a good place for fishing. The problem is that they also clean their catch there, which leaves a rather unpleasant smell. There was a signpost ‘Zone del Baño’, Bathing Place, but it has been sawn off professionally: clearly the ‘Monkey Rock’ has a lot of attraction for everyone. At the moment a handrail to guide/help you into the sea is broken, making it a bit more difficult to get in and out of the water. We are trying to get it mended.
Massage in Charco
New at centro comercial. Fran Arias from Cuba. He offers various massages. I went to him to try a massage. Fran gave me a wonderful massage, firm, quick, soft, active and relaxing all in one , My whole body feels reset. I can really adviseert you to give it a try THANK YOU FRAN!
info: 34667259760
GETTING OUT
*Restaurant Cueva de Paloma at Obona is open again during the week.
*febr. 3 Concert in the moonlight at Charco del Palo
Stephan Hohlweg – Frederic Chopin
Concert the 24 etudes. Time:19.00 €25
Tickets@stephan-Hohlweg.de
* A dance evening is regularly organized at Don Quijote on Saturday evenings: ‘LA NOCHE DE MALA’ Starts at 20.30. If you want something to eat you have to come early, though tapas are available all evening. These evenings are busy, very cozy and with good music. Watch for the posters around the restaurant for more details.
*Sunday afternoon, as usual, music at the Cantina de Mala with Gian Luca, Alan and others.
*febr 3 Estatic dance with D.J. Fran 034 617502073
Estatic dance is a free movement journey, held in a safe and sacred place where you can be your unique self.
For February’s calendar, concerts and movies: culturalanzarote.com
IN THE PICTURE
CARLOS MATÍAS
This time in the picture: artist Carlos Matías.
Hailing from Barcelona, Catalunia, he is currently resident in Charco del Palo, where he has his studio and exhibition of paintings, sculpture and photography.
‘My beginnings in art started in 1986 when I studied photography. I studied Image at the Institute of Photographic Studies of Catalunia and had my first photography exhibitions in art galleries in Barcelona.
A few years later I started experimenting with painting and made my first paintings that came from experimenting with colour and textures underneath and high relief with the intention of achieving sober and strong finishes, which convey a series of sensations of great visual and sensory power.
There is something I have always loved about the art scene, which is inventing and creating new artistic styles, and enjoying every moment of the creation of all my work. During those years I have reinvented myself many times while sticking to my own style and way of painting.
Currently I work with metal and wood and I am interested in the study and development of new materials with organic and synthetic mixtures.
If you would like to visit my studio and exhibition, please contact me (0034 696 26 83 17)
WALKS
From Charco it is possible to roam into the surrounding fields, which often leads to surprising views and discoveries. Sometimes there are fields full of small but colourful plants or coloured rocks.
One of the several options is to turn into Calle Osa Major, which is the first road on the right from Mala near Charco. Opposite Calle Orion there is a path up to the right at Casa Luisa. It’s called: Calle Estrella Polar. Follow the path up past the last house immediately left behind the wall. Follow the path up. There are passages through broken walls everywhere. There are wonderful views of Charco and the sea. You can always find paths and passages through the walls that separate plots. You can make your trip as long as you want and eventually you will always end up at a major path.
CARS AND RENTAL
The car rental is now between €20-€30 for a small car. Early booking is recommended. Pluscar and Autoreisen are the cheapest at the moment.
People we know have a car for sale from 2005.
Price €2900 Renault Megane green. Tel: 34 646035454
Holiday in Charco
King made an English and German page for our bungalow. Kingthung.nl and go to the page: bungalow English 🏴 or German 🇩🇪
Greetings from Charco, till next month.
Tineke
