Fuerteventura, a Wild Island

The story · 6 days

We set off on Christmas Day, leaving behind the cold of Milan, and after a 4-hour flight and two hours of waiting in Madrid we land at Puerto del Rosario (the flight is direct only if you travel with a package). A quarter of an hour by taxi and we're at the Castillo Beach Club, a resort in Caleta de Fuste. The sun comes and goes but the temperature is excellent. We settle into the nice little house assigned to us and then...off... to discover the place. In a week we do 1,000 km with the rented car, spending only 50 euros because petrol costs very little and the roads are excellent.

We see enchanting white beaches stretching as far as the eye can see, where there's almost no one, only the little squirrels, dunes as if we were in the desert, white villages with black beaches, salt flats, a botanical park and windmills; in short, a surprise every day, but the sea and the beaches, those are to die for: Corralejo, Morro Jable, El Cotillo, Ajuy, Tuineje, Pozo Negro and Las Playitas, Costa Calma and Jandia; it's a real shame to have to leave, but we'll certainly be back. The only flaw: the wind, which always blows, from morning to evening, sometimes very strong, so much so that a windbreaker must not be missing from your suitcase. This is the paradise of surfers and there are various surf schools.

It's an island all to be seen and savoured, especially if you love nature and tranquillity (naturism is permitted everywhere without problems); few entertainments, only many restaurants and bars.

Day 125 Dec 2004

Off we go!!

Wake-up at 5 to go to the airport and pass the checks before boarding.. At 7.30 boarding is carried out and the plane is prepared for take-off. At 8.40 we get ready for take-off and among the clouds, in the sun, to go. We wait for breakfast but a surprise we immediately get: nothing on Iberia is served unless we pay for it first!! Around 14 we reach Furte and to the Castillo we go by taxi. We settle into the little house then we take a stroll to Caleta. Shorts and T-shirt, we go down in a hurry and we go to the Bodeguita to book a little dinner. Together with two English people we celebrate Christmas and at the end, tired, we go to bed.

Day 226 Dec 2004

To the dunes of Corralejo

After a good sleep, we get up and outside the sky we immediately look: it's cloudy and the wind is blowing but it's not cold at the moment. To the Shopping Centre we make our way and here we do the shopping, then a little wander to discover the gardens where lots of children play. Really beautiful!! we walk a bit then we head back home. In the afternoon we go to Corralejo and soon we reach the dunes. the tarmac in the middle, the sea on the right the white dunes instead on the left. It really feels like being in the desert walking on the sand, in this open space. We go up, we go down, we sink into the sand, like children we roll around while the wind, which doesn't stop blowing, makes the sand fly everywhere. Having left that enchanted place, we continue and soon we reach the port of Corralejo. A big cactus stands among the houses, it truly deserves to be immortalised.

At the ERA restaurant we end the evening and we get ready for other discoveries.

Day 327 Dec 2004

In Morro Jable

Wake up at 8, we check the weather, it seems better, we have a bit of sun. Having had breakfast in the car we go up and head towards Morro Jable. It's 9 o'clock, the sky is blue and clear, we really hope for a nice day. the sea in the distance is a real splendour and you'd want to jump straight in. The ribbon of asphalt we travel on winds through a landscape straight out of a dream: arid hills, among the white sand they stand and around the sea, they form a crown. We get off at Sotavento beach where anyway... the wind blows, kilometres of immense beach we discover and euphoric along the water's edge we walk. We're dressed, but there are those who are naked and by the wind, let themselves be kissed, no one takes any notice nature here is sovereign and there's plenty else to see. The sea green-blue is slightly rippled we wet our feet, even if it's a bit freezing.

At the surf school there are many students we stop to have lunch at a bar nearby, then reluctantly we head back home but we still have that beach in our eyes.

Day 428 Dec 2004

At Cotillo

Wake up around 8, the weather seems to be improving, could this be the good time to finally get a tan? We have breakfast then head towards Cotillo the sky is blue and we see a lovely sun. Having arrived at Cotillo we look around and unfortunately we notice an ugly sight: in a new street, just built, it seems the force of the wind has struck here. Lots of street lamps are lying broken on the ground and they really make a certain impression. But the wind, no, has nothing to do with it, we later find out, it was the locals who wrecked the lamps. They don't want building to happen here so they're quick to sabotage every job.

There's talk of creating 5000 beds, they would really have an ugly impact on the coast! The place, swept by the wind is a truly enchanted spot: small bays set among the rocks are kissed by the blue sea on the white beaches, they have everywhere created with stones some shelters protected from the wind, colourful kites fly in the sky children and adults who want to have fun. There are even those who go for a swim while the wind lifts the sand here and there. We arrive curious at the lighthouse and we admire the colours of the sea it seems to want to show itself to us in its utmost splendour. We have lunch at the Azzurro restaurant which is a Canarian-Italian place, here the owners, we find out, came from our country to live. What a lunch guys!! Starter with mojo, salmon tortellini, bieke vegetables, coffee and to finish there's honey rum.

Having said goodbye to our friends we go back home and at the residence we have a chat with some other Italians. It was really a beautiful day that went by really quickly.

Day 529 Dec 2004

Tuineje, Aiuj,

The weather today isn't bad at all so we decide to head towards Pajara. The road is very beautiful and it's pleasant to travel, at the junction towards Tuineje we decide to turn. Having arrived at the village we stop straight away and we take a little stroll around the pretty little town. A monument immediately appears in front of us, a man with a goat can be seen. On the island the goat is a symbol everywhere you look, there are some around. We then head down a lovely little avenue and we see splendid bougainvillea everywhere, We then enter the small church where a beautiful nativity scene awaits us. We soon get back in the car and head towards Aiuj. Here there's the beach of Puerto de la Pena and it's really worth stopping. To see some caves we follow a path and we happily admire the landscape, from above, the sea shines blue, while people sunbathe on black beaches.

Having left Aiuj, we head towards La Oliva and at La Ermita we make a stop. Here there are windmills to see and a little church we want to photograph. Once we've taken the photos we resume the journey and to Cotillo we go to eat again. Time passes quickly and 2005 awaits us, we go back home and we decide for the last one.

Day 630 Dec 2004

Pozo Negro, Gran Tarajal, Las Playtas

Today we're going to discover the little villages the first is Pozo Negro which we find along the road. A long black beach, overlooking the sea and a few white houses on the blackened beach. The place is a bit sad and we soon leave it so we head towards Gran Tarajal. Suddenly we see a sign it points to Las Playtas and there we go. Up there on the hill the white houses stand but how many buildings they put up on the beach; a walk along the black seafront is ready with plants and many flowers all to be admired, complexes under construction are springing up everywhere a new urbanisation is now being created here. We take a few photos, then we go back home, the weather is bad, but the wind isn't blowing. When we arrive at Caleta de Fuste we go up high, we want to see the panorama and look at Caleta from above. Here too there are buildings, rising all around the hill.

At home we invite our friends to have an aperitif with us. Diana also arrives and we invite her to stay with us. Around 3 o'clock we go down to Caleta and we take a walk along the seafront The beach has become huge because they've brought lots of sand back here; the usual artists are on the beach and they really do wonders. Around 5 o'clock we go back home, the sky is still black, we feel the wind blowing. I doze off on the sofa watching TV at 8 o'clock we have dinner, but we're not hungry anymore. After dinner, we watch "Speciale TG5" but we're both sleepy and we go off to bed!!!