Back to La Gomera

Beating into it, El Teide of Tenerife in the distance

Well this is a nasty little sail on a wicked little sea! Stiff wee waves are frothing at the mouth with knuckle white crests clawing back their heads, hanging on for dear life. If only they could decide where they were going but some are going this way and others tother making a merry confusion and slapping our nacelle rather hard!

Nanas of La Palma

We were unimpressed with La Palma – even in the knowledge of its annual 132 million kilo banana turnover – and in the end the prospect of beating into a mucky sea with a headwind was better than staying at the “marina” on the pontoon that ate through our lines and prevented us from walking in a straight line.

Moon rising over the toblerone cliffs of La Gomera

We are back in San Sebastian de La Gomera (since with the current wind direction we couldn’t make it anywhere else we liked). This town really is becoming a favourite. Early this morning I wandered the back streets, mostly up and down flights of crooked steps adorned with tubs of hearty geraniums. There’s a surprising number of stray cats and tumbley down cottages. The few main streets empty out into a big square that is completely dead between noon and five but electric with life thereon. I sat there this morning and sketched the huge trees that give shade to the East side of the square. The waitress served me a “branquito” (without the “liquor”, I insisted, given it was not quite 9 o’clock). Out came this drink (I had never had it before). It looks like any other “café con leche” served in a small glass but my god what a concoction. When I enquired, all starry eyed, the waitress assured me there was no alcohol in it – just coffee, condensed milk, lemon peel and cinnamon. The strangest thing was that it tasted good.

El Capitan in La Gomera

The rest of the day was spent jobbing. Washing, fixing, sewing, sawing etc etc etc. A night-time excursion to dunk long thin doughnut-like “churros” in thick hot chocolate followed by some serious people watching whilst clasping our bellies vowing never to eat anything deep fried ever again. Day off tomorrow as the Christmas market has come to town!