The Paloma Cave
The underwater World
Charco has many opportunities to enjoy the underwater life. The divers go to underwater caves via the monkey rock, and snorkelling is also a wonderful activity. In the tidal pool and at the Paloma cave, underwater life can already be seen with the naked eye.
The Paloma cave is just outside/south of Charco on the left. After the duck pool, walk about 100 meters along the coast and take a sandy path down. Many pigeons live there. On the bottom in small pools of water, the naked eye can see beautiful colours of algae that grow there.
At the monkey rock you can watch the various water plants that colourful fish come to eat and swarms of baby sardines swimming around you. A small diving mask or swimming goggles are enough to be able to enjoy this. When you just swim you have no idea what a rich world there is below you. If you bring bread, the fish will come in large numbers to eat and you will literally be one with life below you. There are garfish, fish with long snouts that swim closer to the water surface. Around the island you may be lucky to meet a manta, which almost seems to fly like a butterfly on the seabed. It is every day a surprise what you will see under the surface.
Just above the water surface, red crabs can sometimes be seen crawling over the rocks in the early morning at the area down by ‘Obona ‘.
Below a stickleback on the coloured algae background, which can be seen in the Cueva Paloma.
The cuttlefish
Garfish
CHARCO NEWS
*Weatherwise we had quite a mixed bag in February. Sunny days but also clouds, rain and even a tornado with hail and sleet. That made the news because the Lanzarote camels in the snow was something special. When we thought we had had everything we got the Calima for three more days. Everything was buried under a layer of desert sand. The Calima creates a feeling of turning inward. Literally hardly being able to leave the house and mentally it was a moment of peace and I had hardly any motivation to do anything. However, on Valentine’s Day there was suddenly more visibility and more energy. Fortunately, a water hose does wonders and everything is washed away in no time and when the sun shines again everything looks fine again.
*There were many tourists in Charco, but because the weather was not ideal, the streets and the restaurants were rather quiet.
*The steel line with white balls in the water at the monkey rock offers a lot of safety. The catch of the white (balls) had come loose during a storm. They have been repaired. Fortunately, there are many people who help take care of the village. Volunteers can always be found for these kinds of chores, and any waste is also cleared away. We can all contribute to keep our village nice and clean.
*lili’s Paradise start with offering Guitar music again. Theo is back! Sunday 3pm-6pm
*Romántica, Construction work has resumed at the Romantica. It will be a nice addition to the village. The garden is now being laid out.
*The second Art Market at La Plazita attracted many visitors. Many residents and tourists enjoyed gluhwein, the tapas were excellent again and there was a collection of fine handicraft.
OPENING HOURS
La Plazita Wed – Sun 8.30am – 9.30pmLili’s Paradise opens at 5 pm, Sunday 3 pm. If there are many tourists it opens early. Wed and Thurs closed.
Obona restaurant open Mon-Fri from 2 pm
Jardín Tropical flexible opening hours Fri-Sat closed
Supermarket 8.30am – 6pm. On Sunday 8.30am-3pm
Nearby restaurants:
Don Quijote: 1 pm- 10pm Sun-Mon closed
Arepera: 12 am- 00pm Mon closed
Cantina de Mala: 1 pm- 10pm Tues closed
Sociedad Guatiza: 5 pm Sat-Sun 2pm Mon closed
Programme:
March 5-12-19-26 Sunday afternoon 
guitar music and dancing at Lili’s paradise 3pm-6pm
March 6 moonlight concert Stephan Hohlweg. la Asomada. Lanzarote fincas garden. Camino del Mesón 42. Mozart, Chopin etc. Tickets@stephan-hohlweg.de
March 10 Art Market at the Centro comercial 6pm-10pm
Cantina de Mala every Sunday afternoon brunch with open microphone. Alan is hitting the drums with Gian Luca. 1pm
Don quijote – saterday evening life music 8pm-11pm
march 17-19 festival de guitarras Haria. Sala teatro de Tegala .
march 27-1 april exposition art and books. El aljibe de Haria
LANZAROTE
*There was a record number of tourists on the Canary Islands in January and February. The airport was very busy. Yet everything went smoothly and efficiently.
*Painting/Mural at Amaryllis garden centre.
From the airport if you come from LZ 3 take the exit dir. Orzola (LZ 1) you will come across the Amaryllis Garden Centre at the roundabout on the right. They have expanded their business considerably. But the painting on the outside has also been renewed. An artist spent five weeks creating a wonderful mural.
*Carnival, Carnival is in full swing. Arrecife really celebrated this time almost two weeks of festivities.
Feb 28- Mar 5 Teguise and Costa Teguise
Mar 03-05 Tinajo
Mar 09-13 Haria
Mar 16-19 Playa Blanca
*Tabayesco
To the delight of cyclists in particular, the road at Tabayesco has been reopened. It has been closed for a long time, due to a landslide in 2018. It appears to be open again now.
WALKS
THE DUNES
The area north of Charco towards Mala and Arrieta is a beautiful dune area. Stroll endlessly in the nude, if you like. Because it is all sandy it is possible to walk barefoot, a blessing for your feet. I’ve been doing that daily for a while now and it is great fun. Even running is possible. For the more rocky parts I bring shoes. Walking barefoot is very good for stress release and to reconnect with the earth. This area is just great for that. The wind around your head, the ocean at your feet, sun in your face what more could one want? To Arrieta is a walk of about an hour and a half. Along the way you can add some stones to the spiral, or take a plunge in the Sea Bath of Mala.
Today I saw to my surprise that the ’Desert orchid’ is coming up again. For me the most beautiful flower in the dry nature of Lanzarote. You find them in the dunes just growing in sand, incredible.
IN THE PICTURE
This time: Suzette Talbot
Suzette has lived in Charco del Palo for years. She paints dolphins on driftwood. She knows how to capture the essence in her paintings. It’s like having a real dolphin at home. Suzette has a gallery in Teguise. Contact with these unique animals has meant a lot to her. She also writes about it.
Charco del Palo for me is like a Jewel where one can connect with the beauty of nature
One can sun bathe naked and swim in the delightful tidal pool with no inhibition
Only when one is naked can one really appreciate the true joy of the warm sunshine on one’s body and feel the water caressing one’s skin
I find painting close to the water, on driftwood I have found from the ocean, very therapeutic
I thank Charco del Palo for this privilege
I awoke one morning in the year of 1993 to make a decision that was going to change my life. I would move from England to live on the Canary Islands with my two youngest children. It was not easy to make such a bold decision. My son and daughter aged thirteen and ten were very excited about the idea. They knew the island of Lanzarote well from family holidays and, both being very outgoing children, I had no fear that they would settle into their new life. Once I had made the decision I seemed to get all the help I needed. There were so many things to think about that I hardly had time to think if I was doing the right or wrong thing.
The first year on Lanzarote was spent exploring the wonderful beaches with a frend who had two children of a similar age. We would set off for wonderful days, ocasionally camping on an isolated beach and in the evening lighting a fire to cook our supper. Then we would huddle close to the burning embers whilst telling stories to one another before setting down for a cosy night under a canopy or twinkling stars. On one occasion while camping on the small island of La Graciosa close to lanzarote, we watched the setting sun 
and at the same moment the rising full moon 
. They both gave a grace to one other, a backdrop of beauty in total harmony. My children, now grown-up, will have these memories for the rest of there lives and will pass them on to their children.
My work as an artist was getting very influenced by my new environment, spending so much time close to the ocean. We could(n’t)[?] actually see dolphins playing in the ocean from the terrace of our house. We got used to seeing their characteristic splashes in the distance and then rushed for the binoculars in a flurry of excitement, always the same uplifting experience of good energy when we spotted them. My soft watercolour paintings were being replaced by vibrant acrylic colours. I would take my paints with me to the beach where I started to paint on driftwood I found on the seashore. I would get lost in the beauty of nature. There seemed no shortage of material for me to paint on. The more rustic and misshapen the piece, the more interesting it seemed. A local restaurant was now exhibiting my work. My art was beginning to sell and had changed its direction. People started coming into my life who were interested in dolphins and my paintings.
Suzette wrote a book about her experiences with dolphins.
‘Written with love’. De next months I will put in more storys from the book. You can buy the dolphin 
paintings and the book at her gallery in Teguise.
Location: Galería La Villa, Plaza Clavijo y Fajardo 4, Teguise.
I wish you a very good month and hope a little bit more sunshine here and also at your places.
Un abrazo Tineke
