The growing demand for Gran Canaria holiday bookings for the rest of this year’s winter is causing a lot of bookings for next year’s winter, which has seen an increase of about 10% so far. The Nordic tour operators are finding it hard to find available rooms in Gran Canaria for winter 2012/2013, according to sources at this year’s FITUR trade fair in Madrid.

Yesterday employers at the trade fair claimed that Scandinavian tour operators searching for rooms to book in the Canary Islands, and Gran Canaria in particular, have not been able to make any bookings because of the strong growth in demand which has forced accommodation providers to reject offers, some at very good prices.

So perhaps there is a moral here somewhere. If you want to be guaranteed of some winter sun, you might want to book your winter 2012/2013 holiday quick before everything is full!

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Where to Get the Passport Photos

You can get the photos done at Maspacolor, which is the photography shop near the tulip roundabout in San Fernando, or the photo place in Arguineguin.

The passport photos must not have any lines on the back (which is why it matters where you get them done). There is a real shortage of passport photo machines. There used to be one in the Yumbo Centre but I’m not sure it’s still there. I don’t know where any others are.

Photo by Nathan17

How to Submit Your Application

You can find more information here:

http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/how-to-apply/spain

including prices, where you have to send the documents, and requirements for the photos. Some friends of mine have had their passport photos returned for being on the wrong kind of paper or another breach of the rules, but I found the Madrid office pretty lax. In my passport photo, I have my sunglasses perched on my head and nobody’s ever batted an eyelid!

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Lions Club Gran Canaria

One of the best places to donate to is the Lions Club. They run a 2nd hand stall at Arguineguin and Mogan markets and raise money for families and elderly people in need.

If you have any clothes or goods you don’t want any more, I’m sure they’d be delighted with your donations. Drop them a line here or visit their website here for more details.

Photo by Howard Lake

TARA Gran Canaria

TARA also appreciates donations and this organization looks after unwanted animals. Perhaps you’re thinking of adopting a new pet, in which case you can have a look at their Facebook page or website. There are lots of animals needing homes at this time of the year.

Asociación Vecinos Las Lomas de Arguineguín

This company runs the local Food Bank and are always in need of donations: non-perishable food, clothing, toys, furniture, toys etc. If you are interested in helping out, they are in Arguineguin next to the Kindergarten, across from the jewelry shop. Go along any Tuesday between 5 and 8pm. You can also search for Las Lomas de Arguineguin on Facebook.

If anyone else knows of any worthy charities in Gran Canaria or anyone else who can make use of unwanted clothes or goods, then feel free to post a comment under this post.

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If you’re thinking about buying a Presa Canaria dog, you will need to be dominant and confident and understand about alpha dogs. Everyone in your home has to be comfortable around such a dog. These dogs are great guard dogs and the sight of them alone is enough to put anyone off robbing or attacking you.

This dog is quite inactive indoors so it will be OK in an apartment as long as you walk it daily. It needs occasional grooming (just brushing and perhaps the odd shampoo).

The Presa Canaria can be dangerous in the wrong hands but loving and loyal in the right ones. Daily pack walks to satisfy the dog’s migration instincts are a must, and you have to walk the dog beside or behind you, to reinforce your pack leader status. Unless you’re actually looking for a guard dog and you’re prepared to spend time training this dog correctly, it might be better to opt for another breed.

These dogs are believed to be related to the now extinct Bardino Majero breed, which was crossed with English Mastiffs. The Presa Canaria was bred in the Canary islands in the 19th century for dog fighting, which used to be a common and popular entertainment throughout Europe. Fights were staged in open fields in some countries like Ireland, but in pits or rings in the Canaries. Dog fighting is of course illegal now.

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Animal Rescue Centres

There are also rescue centres where you can get a new pet for free or for a small donation. I got my cat from the vet in San Fernando. She was one of a number of abandoned kittens. You might like to look at TARA if you are looking for a new cat or dog. They often have unwanted or abandoned animals.

Cleo (8 years later and still just as lazy as ever!!)

Vets and Pet Supplies

Most vets speak English and I’ve used the one in San Fernando and the one in Puerto Rico. You can get pet insurance in Gran Canaria but to be honest I’ve never bothered with that and fortunately never been faced with a big vet’s bill.

You can get specialist pet food from the vet or you can get the regular stuff from most supermarkets. There are also pet supply shops in Vecindario and some other shopping centres, where you can buy dog leashes, cat litter trays, collars, and the like.

If you are interested in relocating your pet to Gran Canaria or bringing pets home from Gran Canaria, have a look at this post and the comments underneath.

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Although hiking is not one of the main things the Canaries are known for, it is possible to enjoy a walking holiday because there are so many beautiful landscapes. Gran Canaria features a pine forest, various campsites, rugged cliffs and mountains. Walking and hiking in Gran Canaria can be as easy or as challenging as you like.

La Palma

The island of La Palma is another option and you can enjoy the black sandy beaches and thick forests. The volcanic landscape is exciting to explore and you can also visit the Caldera de Taburiente crater or the UNESCO Los Tilos Biosphere Reserve while you are there.

La Gomera

Another possibility is the island of La Gomera, which allows self-guided hiking while your luggage is transported from hotel to hotel. This means you can explore with just a rucksack at your own pace, and end up at a new hotel for the night with your luggage (and a hot meal) waiting there for you

La Gomera by Abrocke

There are black sandy beaches, green valleys and beautiful forests on La Gomera and if you want something quieter than Gran Canaria, either here or La Palma might suit you down to the ground.

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For families, the island offers plenty to do. Most excursions are kid-friendly and you might like to try the dolphin trips in Gran Canaria or even sea fishing. The fishing boats have light-rods which a child can handle easily. The restaurants, cafes and some bars are also child-friendly, as are most of the resorts. Some hotels offer kids’ entertainment or kids’ clubs, but that’s something you need to check when you book.

Photo by Ajuaze

If you are booking a hotel in Puerto Rico it might be worth checking where it is exactly, since Puerto Rico consists of hills and valleys. Somewhere in the valley means you will be able to walk to the harbours, beach and shopping centres, but somewhere on top of the hill or even halfway up (they are steep hills!) means you might have to fork out for taxis every day if you don’t want to push buggies up and down the hills or if your little ones don’t want to walk too far.

Playa del Ingles is a lot flatter, as is Maspalomas, so you can pretty much book anything there. San Agustin is smaller, as is Puerto de Mogan, so you don’t have to worry about the hills. Taxis are cheap but paying multiple times a day every day to get around adds up.

There is plenty of choice when it comes to eating and drinking. There are Spar supermarkets all over the place (and Netto although that tends to be more expensive) so if you’re self-catering you can make your own food. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants, many of which are relatively cheap. Gran Canaria is a nice place for family holidays, since the weather is almost always good and there are lots of activities to entertain the whole family.

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This potaje de berros recipe is a popular Canarian lunch and it is also served as a starter before the main meal sometimes, often with some crusty bread for soaking up every last bit. Some families leave out the pork ribs and make this a vegetarian soup which works well too. Allow a couple of hours to cook this soup. You could cook it in a crockpot if you have one, and that will take about 8 hours on low.

Photo by Juantiagues

What you need:

• 1/2 kilo watercress
• 150g sweet potato
• 1/2 kilo potatoes
• 1 onion
• 1/4 kilo pork ribs
• 1/4 kilo white beans
• 2 tender cobs of corn
• 1 tomato
• 1 green bell pepper
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 100 ml of mixed olive oil, salt, saffron and water

How to make it:

Soak the white beans overnight to tenderize them. Put the ribs, beans, sweet potato and cobs of corn in a big pot. Add 3 litres of water and simmer.

When the mixture is half-cooked, add the potatoes, watercress, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper (chop them all up first) as well as the saffron mixture and garlic.

Simmer gently until everything is cooked, then serve with a crusty bread roll, a hunk of tasty cheese (something like vintage cheddar perhaps) and some minced red onion too. You might like to serve a dollop of sour cream in the middle of the soup as a garnish, and some chopped parsley, but that’s up to you.

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Tauro was a nightmare too. First of all, I was informed that it wasn’t possible to get any more ADSL in Tauro, so I had a cable running out of my window to my neighbour 3 days up!

That came to an abrupt end when he decided to sell the computer along with (my) ADSL cable. To cut a long story short, it isn’t too difficult to get internet but try to find an apartment with an existing internet connection if possible. It will certainly make things easier!

Main ISPs

The main providers are Telefonica, Orange and Ya.com, which doesn’t sound like many if you’re used to the wide range of cheap providers and great deals in the UK. Telefonica is Gran Canaria’s equivalent to BT. It isn’t the cheapest provider but most businesses use it for their internet.

Orange has only been an ISP in the Canaries for the past 5 years and service-wise they’re similar to Telefonica. Ya.com have good introductory offers but they aren’t available all over the island. Ikea sometimes have deals too.

With Ya.com and Orange, you can connect online. With Telefonica, you need to call them but they speak English if your Spanish is not up to scratch.

Mobile Internet

Another option is mobile internet and you can get that from Vodafone or Movistar. I used to use a Vodafone dongle which cost 40 euros a month and was incredibly slow, but at least it worked anywhere there was a Vodafone signal, unlike wifi for instance (and there isn’t much wifi in Gran Canaria).

Photo by Theo R

Internet Cafes

Internet cafes cost a euro an hour outside the resorts and up to 4 euros an hour within them. If you are moving to Gran Canaria, try to get somewhere with an existing ADSL, or at least a phone line. Else you could be delayed for months trying to get the internet and for freelance writers like myself, that is a disaster.

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