After waking up and having my breakfast, I prepared to go to Timanfaya National Park. Since the island is not that big, the drive there took me about 30 minutes or so. The road to the 'entrance' leads you through tremendous big lavafields, almost as far as the eye can see. Then after paying the entrancefee, it's another 10 minutes before I arrive at the restaurant and gift shop. Demonstrations on how hot the soil is are given. One get a few rocks in one's hands which are really warm. There's also a wall in which you can stick your hand to feel the warmth and a guy throws some hay in a hole so it spontaneously catches on fire. In the restaurant the specialty is grilled chicken, but grilled of course on a hole in the ground. After talking ome Enlarge imagepictures and checking all the features I just mentioned, I got on a bustour through the N.P. A guide gives some information on the park and its origin, and at specific places the bus stops for pictures. The tour took about 30 minutes or so. Then I returned to the car and drove back again. On my way out of the park I drove by this place where you can explore part of the park by camel. My dad once advised me not to do so, and the 4 busses with tourists waiting, made me decide to postpone the camel ride indefinitely.
I went on to the village Yaiza, which has some nice center with narrow streets. Then I continued my trip to Playa Blanca, but I was not the least interested in what I saw. Guess you have to stay there in a hotel to be a bit more excited about the village. After a short detour to Las Salinas del Janubio, with its black beach and nice blue sea and white waves I drove back to the apartment. Of course some sunbathing concluded the day. I had dinner in the same grill-restaurant as I did yesterday, only this time I ordered salmon which was great!
A visit to Ruta 66 completes the night out in Puerto del Carmen.