Retirement with No Problem

P&O Oceana, docked Santa Cruz de La Palma, Canaries

Tenerife the day before where we had a fantastic time just wandering around the town. ‘Tis carnival time here in the Canaries, and it was all very colourful.  Not a lot of the shops are open, and while that disappointed a lot of people it didn’t bother us..  Nothing needed for NP nor us!

My favourite island today of La Palma, a very small island in the Canaries, but it’s claim to fame is the fact that it is the world’s steepest island.  The land rises almost straight away to a volcano. The little town has cobbled streets and is lined with colourful houses..

Not very busy today as you see because last night here was the final night of their carnival.  Tadition has it that everyone takes out talcum powder, no less, and throws it around the place!

You can see in the pic how white the road is, and I tell you what trying to walk on those cobbles with that on the ground was lethal!  Lots of oldies on our cruise didn’t even get this far before carefully making their way back.. no hard hats aboard, so thought better of chancing a broken arm I think.

Again most of the shops were either shut or the owners were trying to clear up, having to wash windows and also the floors where the powder had penetrated into the cracks in the doorways, some even had stock covered in the stuff..

Here trying to jet spray the talc!  ndetered, we had a wonderful time in the town, stopping for lunch at one of the little street cafes that was open..

Most of these little places have wifi.. they pronounce it differently here, wi (we) fi (fi, as in FInish), ha it does sound so funny to me when I ask! Out they come with a card with the password on.. just nice to pick up my emails and post a couple of blogs over a beer and lunch. How civilised!

We have enjoyed the on board entertainment and bars, not doing an awful lot, sort of pick and choose after dinner. There was an art collection on display the other day by Rolf Harris, everyone was looking forward to seeing one particular painting that he had done. But some rich bum bought it for 32 grand and withdrew it from public view within 5 minutes of the showing.. who are these people, meanies!

I am writing this blog the day before you read it.. Today then when you read it we will be in another favourite island of mine Maderia.. Homeward bound after that with three days at sea to Southampton. But I will still be blogging daily on the P&O site here —> (click) along with all the pics which I upload each day here —> (click). There is a done gallery also on my normal blog site —> here with pics up to arriving at Maderia.  So plenty to look at for you!

Gosh, we are speeding along tonight, 19 knotts.  This is about all this 12 year old ship can do I guess without throwing us out of our beds.. La Palma to Maderia overnight is 250 nautical miles or so!