Charco Azul - Blue Lagoon

When it comes to a drop of the wet stuff our favourite haunt is located at La Fajana de Barlovento.  Yes, it's a great place for swimming and snorkelling!  However, by way of a change, we decided to go for a swim at Charco Azul, the Blue Lagoon as I call it, which is near the picturesque village of San Andres, below Los Sauces on the east coast of La Palma.
The Charco Azul has in fact only just recently re-opened after a rock fall and I am pleased to say that it has been restored back to its former beautiful self.

 

It's a great place for people of all ages as it has a large children's pool complete with a couple of seawater pools, sea water fountain, changing rooms and plenty of flat space for sunbathing.  So, if you are heading that way, don't forget to take your cossie and you can look forward to a dip in the blue.

And don't worry about how you are going to replace those used-up calories after all that swimming as there are also a couple of restaurants handy.  One overlooks the pools and the other, called Romecabezas (either meaning 'brain teaser' or 'headbreaker' I'll let you take your pick) is just around the corner.   Mmm, wonder if the 'headbreaker' reference is anything to do with the rockfall which did in fact submerge the other restaurant!  Either way, the cliff wall has now been impressively and securely netted.  Yet another feat of engineering for La Palma!
However, no matter how attractive Charco Azul is, I think our favourite will continue to be La Fajana de Barlovento.  It's not just the choice of pools, abundance of fish, fantastic underwater topography in the sea, but it's nearer to our finca.  And that means it's also nearer for guests staying at their rural accommodation to rent in Garafia!

Sitting Ducks (and chickens)

What a fun and busy time we are having.  A couple of weeks ago, we got four new chickens.  Here's a photo of two of them wondering where on earth they have come to and what they are doing being transported in a pet carrier.   Come on - time to get out now!

Well of course the chickens aren't a problem as they can just go in the existing hen house with its own run and tree for them to jump into.  But then we were asked if we would take a couple of ducklings.  Help!  We know nothing about ducks!
So that required some very serious thinking about.  What would they live in - oh, they don't need a special house, we were assured, they can just wander about.   Mm, not sure about that and trying to fence in almost 8,000 sq.m. of land is very trickly as most of it is in terraces.   And what about water - don't ducks need a pond?  Oh no, a children's paddling pool will do or an old bucket sunk into the ground.
We were not convinced.  And what is the point of ducks anyway?  They don't even lay that many eggs.  So that was it - zero votes for keeping ducks.  But then, our home farm handbook declared that they would 'delight and amuse us.'  And that we could believe so now we just needed to make a home for them.  And a pond. Bucket, indeed!
Once the little guys arrived, we unfurled them from the sack they had been transported in - the pet carrier having been rejected by the farmer.  And of course we had to give them a proper welcome from the comfort of the kitchen.

Ooh, a little bigger than we were expecting but still decidedly cute.  And probably a very good thing they weren't tiny babies because they would need too much looking after and I wouldn't get any work done for coo-ing over them!
So - time to show them their home and their little pond.  At first, they were rather reluctant to get their feet wet and preferred to sit down at the edge of it.

But once in, they really took to it like, well you know, with lots of duck-diving and even swimming underwater.  This was great for us spectators!  And the ducks looked as if they were really enjoying it too, until that is, they scared themselves silly by splashing and that's when they really did delight and amuse.  If you would also like to be delighted and amused - here is a You Tube video of them.  It's really quite funny and whilst we doubtless still have lots to learn, we are really enjoying these new additions to the finca.

Aloe, aloe.

In Thailand, it's called Crocodile's Tail.  In Indonesia, it's called Crocodile's Tongue.  We know it as Aloe Vera.
Whatever you call it, the plant has a list of cosmetic and reputed medical uses as long as your arm. 
And we are lucky enough to have it growing here on the finca. 

 Whilst the use of natural remedies is going through quite a resurgence in recent years, in the rural north of La Palma it's use has never really stopped.   Just the other day, our neighbour called by to ask if she could have a piece of aloe for her husband who had cut himself.   It's second nature to country people. 
And the other good thing about aloe vera is not just that it's the magic medicine plant, it also does a pretty good job of looking after itself too! 
Just watch out for the sharp crocodile bits.

Taking time out in Tazacorte

Contrary to popular belief, we do sometimes wrench ourselves away from the finca - although admittedly, not often.  But if we do happen to find ourselves out and about, then Tazacorte in the west of La Palma is an old haunt of ours.
Tazacorte is an interesting place really, no matter how you look at it, because it is split into two main parts comprising Tazacorte town sitting almost one kilometre away from the beach-side resort of Tazacorte and the marina.  These days, much of it has changed and somewhat for the better.
Up in the town for example, what was once a banana plantation is now home to a new and spacious supermarket with a very pleasant plaza and outdoor cafe alongside.  Being right in the centre of the town where four roads meet, it really is a great place to sit and watch the comings and goings of everybody.  Ah, how easily pleased we country folk are!   Nearby is a walkway with fabulous columns covered in intricate mosaic.

Just around the corner, the public swimming is now open for business and when we visited, swimmers were putting in their strokes, length after length.

Down at the port, yet another development was under way to modernize and extend amenities, turning it into an increasingly attractive marina.
But down by the sea, life was going on much as normal.  The restaurants were busy with customers being served anything from coffee to goats cheese with Canarian mojo suace and hugh bowls of salad, fresh fish with papas arrugadas or one of the favourite Canary desserts such as Bienmesabe made with almonds.

 And, rather fortuitously, Tazacorte is also the start of the GR131 La Palma walking route (and with the GR130 handy) so you needn't worry about piling on the pounds!

Yes, it's not a bad place to be.  Speaking of which, for anyone interested in renting an apartment in Tazacorte, possibly as part of a two-centre holiday on La Palma or walking holiday, you can now find details on our website here.