Weather
March started with some fine weather: lots of sun and temperatures going up. But the weather can also be quite fickle: in a few hours from nice and clear and sunny to mist, which suddenly rolls in from the sea and is gone again in no time. This happened on the morning of March 11, see pictures. The temperature of the sea water is now some 19 degrees. The duck pool is 20 plus on a hot day. The last week we had temperatures around 26 degrees.. It felt like summer.
PYROSOMES
On March 13 the sea had an odd surprise: condoms floating in the water! It is a kind of jellyfish in different colours. Most are smooth but there are ribbed ones. Again just like the real thing… We had a talk with some locals who do recognize it, while we thought it was plastic. Finally I found out on the internet. They are pyrosomes, a subdivision of tunicates, which prosper in warm sea water. They have a cylindrical shape and can swim around in colonies of hundreds or thousands. That morning, wearing goggles, I saw several white transparent, hollow shapes with black edges and fish were also just gnawing on them. Some were half eaten. The larger ones were ten to forty centimeters long and four to seven centimeters in diameter. Divers reported seeing them as large as four meters and ten to twenty centimeters in diameter. Sometimes they put a lamp in it, which produces a very nice effect because they are transparent. They floated around the seabed off Monkey Rock. It is always fascinating what you can experience the underwater world. Never boring.
*The tidal pool and Duck pool has been done up. Holes were filled with cement. Thanks to many volunteers.
*Cuban influences in Charco
It is hardly ever possible for a masseur or masseuse to get enough clients to earn his/her keep in the Centro Comercial. Fran from Cuba said that he has already built up a nice clientele. Sometimes he does four massages a day. He creates a carefree, joyful, rhythmic energy. So do Kirenia and Yaima at the supermarket. Kirenia already speaks a good word of English, German and even some Dutch. And Cuban music completes the picture.
Welcome Cuba… 
Pyrosoom
*Romántica becomes : ECO ROMÁNTICO BEACH
An avid reader of The Guardian found this ad:
ECO ROMANTICO BEACH, which opens in April has has five en-suite bedrooms with kitchenettes. (two yurt bedrooms will be added later) a living/dining area, roof terrace and solar-heated swimming pool. Guest can also swim in the sea pools below the villa.
We hope this is correct, as there is another construction stop.
LANZAROTE
Carnival in full swing
A ritual on Lanzarote is at the end of the Carnival festivities, the ‘burying of the sardine’, which took place in Arrecife at Playa Reducto, the beach near the Gran Hotel. What’s the story behind that?
The “‘Burial of the Sardine” (Spanish: Entierro de la sardina) since 1851, is an annual Spanish ceremony celebrating the end of carnival and other festivities. The “Burials” generally consist of a carnival parade that parodies a funeral procession and culminates with the burning of a symbolic figure, usually a representation of a sardine. The “Burial of the Sardine” is celebrated on Ash Wednesday and is a symbolical burial of the past to allow society to be reborn, transformed and with new vigour
*Jameos de aqua
The new Casa de los Volcanes opens its doors after an investment close to 4 million euros, of which almost half, 1,990,000 euros, have been allocated to museum equipment thanks to a grant from the Government of the Canary Islands channeled through the Cabildo de Lanzarote.
The new space has ten rooms that are articulated around three major thematic axes: the geological formation process of the Corona volcanic tube and the transformation carried out in Jameos del Agua by the artist César Manrique; the work developed in the Casa de los Volcanes and the contents of Geoparque Lanzarote – Archipiélago Chinijo, and ‘Planetary analogues’, a vision of Mars in Earth.
PENING HOURS
La Plazita Wed – Sun 8.30 – 21.30
Lili’s Paradise opens at 14.00, Sunday 15.00-19.00. If there are many tourists it opens early. Wed and Thurs closed
Obona restaurant open Mon-Fri from 14.00
Jardín Tropical flexible opening hours Fri-Sat closed
Supermarket 8.30 – 18.30 On Sunday 8.30-15.30
Nearby restaurants:
Don Quijote: 13. 00- 22.00 Sun-Mon closed
Arepera:: 12.00- 23.00 Mon closed
Cantina de Mala: 13..00- 22.00 Tues closed
Sociedad Guatiza: 17.00 Sat/ Sunday 14.00 Mon closed
Programme:
*April Sunday afternoon 
guitar music and dancing at Lili’s paradise 15.00-18.00
*April 7 Moonlight concert Charco Stephan Holhweg.
*April 9 Holhweg concert Tickets@stephan-hohlweg.de
*April 14 Art Market at the Centro comercial 18.00-22.00
*Cantina de Mala every Sunday afternoon brunch open microphone with Gian Luca 13.00
*Don quijote – saterday life music 20.00-23.00.
WALKS
As flowers are blooming everywhere now, we took another walk in the Baranco of Haria. The route starts behind the sports hall. There is a nursing home where you can park your car. Take the path towards the cliff and after a while the Baranco begins. You walk in and along the hills’ drainage channel. A plethora of blooming flowers and shrubs, a beautiful sight. After a while you will come to a sandy road. There the choice is to go up or to take the sand road to the right. This time we took the sandy road on the right. If you lfollow that you will eventually after forty minutes reach a viewpoint overlooking the ocean and beach of Famara. Enjoy it and go back the same sandy road to the point where it turns to the right , there is a small path on the left that spirals down and ends 200 meters near the nursing home. Enjoy your walk.
Alan Lambert and Neal Wheeler published a few books as walking guides in Lanzarote. We don’t earn much money from sales, but it is nice to see it read. It is also sold in The Cantina in Mala.
Walking in Lanzarote: Amazon.co.uk: Wheeler, Dr Neil: 9781542990912: Books
Add https://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Lanzarote-Dr-Neil-Wheeler/dp/1542990912
New Naturist Tour Operation.
Many will know of Chalfont Holidays, you may have even made a booking with them in the past. Following their unforeseen closure in October 2022, we are pleased to bring you news that Donna Johnson, ex sales and product manager of ten years, has now re-opened a new Naturist Tour Operation of her own – aptly named Altogether Holidays LTD. Donna began trading in early February this year, and she features all the worldwide resorts that you are already familiar with, including Charco del Palo of course! Donna is UK based and all holidays she offers are ABTA and ATOL protected. If you would like to make contact, you can email her on bookings@altogetherholidays.
Regards Donna
SUZETTE ‘S STORY
Parts of her book ‘Written with love’
PILOT WHALES
“The more I feel love for them the more they seem to come to me.
*This encounter seems likely yet another amazing present.
I am so grateful for it……. “
A part of my work was to paint Dolphins with a group of people from Switzerland and Germany. At the workshop we found a pleasant place close to the ocean and, with the group circle around me, we talked about nature, and the energy we receive from the dolphin’s inspiration. With this motion they started to paint on banana leaf paper. At they end of the day we went with a boat to watch the dolphins. After a little time we spotted what might be Pilot whales. The captain turned the engine of the boat down so as not to alarm them. As we approached nearer we felt they were not so interested in us and so we watched them from afar, respecting their presence and the wonderful feeling they gave us.
We headed of in another direction and after some while, again we saw something in the distance. As we approached, the engine was turned down and finally off. We were surrounded by about twelve Pilot whales that seemed so happy with our presence. We were aware of the silence and the sound of the ocean and with the gentle blow of the whales a feeling of calm came over us.
I prepared to go in the water, putting on my snorkel and mask, slipping in to the water from the ladder. The feeling is amazing. They swim so close to me, maybe ten whales with about four babies. I am overwhelmed by my love for them. I swim along with them with my hands behind me. They seem to have accepted my presence. I stop swimming and just lie still looking down with my mask. They turn and come back to me and their rounded, beautiful faces come straight to mine. Can I believe what is happening?
I try swimming a little further and so they come to me, mothers and babies. I feel that they come to kiss my face, so close are their faces to mine. I am totally overwhelmed with emotion and I am crying with tears my love for them. I have been moved to such an extent. I cannot put into words. This is a heavenly feeling. My body is hardly with me, I only feel love, unconditional love.
For paintings and the book:
Location: Galería La Villa, Plaza Clavijo y Fajardo 4, Teguise.
More from Suzette, Charco del Palo and Lanzarote next month…
Un abrazo, Tineke
Pilot Whales
