Sunday 14th December 2025 - Lava tubes and James Bond sets



Storm Emilia proved to have a sting in the tail.  Despite the weather forecast saying that Sunday morning was going to be sunny, the skies opened and soon the kitchen was flooded out as well as the bathroom.  All the towels were sopping wet so Kevin mopped up the water.   Lanzarote wasn't as badly hit as other parts of the Canarias.  Videos on Facebook showed fallen trees, huge waves and even snow covered rods in El Teide, Tenerife.



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We've hired a ca for a couple of days - a hybrid Fiat Panda.  We picked it up from the main street.  It cost about £30 per day.

Lanzarote isn't a big place and the roads have improved vastly since we last came here in 2005.  We headed north through the malpais de la corona or badlands where very little grows in the lava fields.  To the east was a rocky shore with now brilliant blue sea.

Last time we came we visited the Jameos del Agua, a cultural centre build within a lava tube, designed by the local artist, Cesar Manrique.   This time we chose to go to the nearby Cueva de los Verdes, part of the same lava tube emanating from the nearby Corona volcano.  The tube is nearly 7km long and eventually runs under the sea.



Tours run ever 15 minutes and take you on a 1 km trip of the lower and upper galleries of the tube.   You are meant to buy tickets online which we did not know, but luckily there was WiFi in the car park and cave.

The lava tube was created around 20,00 years ago.  It's low in places, but quite wide.  At the farthest point accessible to tourists, there is an auditorium where concerts are sometimes held.

Without spoiling the fun, there is an amazing "secret" at the end of the tour which amused us all.





The weather was now warm and sunny - at last!  We drrove further up the coast to the port of Orzola before turning inland and beginning the climb o the Mirador del Rio.   Again designed by Manrique,  all you initially see is a door with a round window above it.  A veritable Hobbit House!

Once indoors a short tunnel leads to a large room with two huge glass windows.  It felt like the lair of a Bond villain.  Outside there were viewing platforms that looked over to the island of Graciosa, a small fishing settlement.  We watched boats coming in and out the harbour.  








The site used to be a military base and on the top of the cliff, we could see an artillery pillbox, a vestige of the sites former use.

The day was getting on so we headed back down to Playa Bastian and found a newly opened Lidl.  Parked next to us was our host, Magdelena, who was concerned about the flooding but we explained we had cleared it all up.


Night fell with clear skies.  Our balcony  west so it's a good place to catch the evening sun.   Joan made a mushroom and spinach Wellington for dinner.

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