Mark and Anne Birding day trip in Gran Canaria

Mark and Anne: Not just birding in Gran Canaria

 

It was such a great day... from Sunrise to sunset. From the summit to the coast. We felt the cold morning Alisium wind while Magec threw its warming bright beams over the volcanic sacred rocks. Roque Nublo was the first central caldera rock to recieve the bright bless... A good flock of beautiful Canary Birds (Serinus canarius) woke up among the pines and brooms and it was the starting signal for our trip.


We managed to find our little winged blue treasures, our very rare Blue Chaffinches of Gran Canaria (F. Polazteki) in our first stop! We wer so lucky! But they were all in the first area, we tried at least in 4 more hotspots and they didn ´t show.

They are always so special, so scarce and unique... greysh blue, strong bill and white shoulder spots... it is so nice when they give us this precious moments flying by and perching at our sight among the pines...

Of course other companions like the Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major ssp canariensis),and the African blue tit (Cyanistes teneriffae ssp hedwigae) were sharing the pinewood
We continued towards Roque Nublo to be surprised by a couple of Black Kites (Milvus migrans) which are not common at all in this island!

We took a short but relaxing stop to savour some local products sitting in the edge of one of biggest volcanic calderas in the world.

After satisfying ourselves with the views and the sights we headed towards the north of the island, to the last laurel forests that still survive in the most green and isolated ravines to look for the Laurel pigeon (Columba junoniae). They were hidden in the first minutes, but our patience was rewarded and afer a while they began to fly by our heads giving us wonderful sights. Even more, they perched in some branches with no cover so that we were able to see them perfectly with the telescope.

As last goal we had to look for the exclusive local endemic ssp of our Robin (Erithacus rubecula ssp marionae). We were hearing them all around but we were not able to spot them in the bush... but in our stop to have a Pata sandwich in Valleseco, just in front of our noses one of this little birds showed off its beautiful dark orange chest! Last one in our list scored!
After completing our day goals we decided to try to find the local gigant lizard of Gran Canaria (Gallotia stehlini), so we descended almost to the coastal level and after some minutes looking for them Mark spotted one into its little cave. So with some patience we managed to see it coming out. It was a big one! Good!

And finally, last but not least, the sunset atop the summit of the island awaited for us to come. No words can describe it... no pictures can describe it... it was just magical... the colours, the landscape, the idea of the ancient Canario´s worshiping their Sacred Mountains more than one millenium ago, the very same mountains that managed to take our breath while the bright and warm Magec went down to his night shelter under the mighty Atlantic Ocean
I hope to to see you again my friends
Do you want to feel the energy!?
This place is full of it!!

A taste of the Miniature Continent

Fue corto pero intenso. Se fue volando pero fuimos lento. Hubo acción bajo y sobre el Atlántico. Fuimos testigos de tiempos antiguos leyendo en las rocas. Nos perdimos para encontrarnos en una playa frente al atardecer mientras nadábamos, nosotros solos. Pinos, retamas, codesos, Alisio fresco y húmedo, pinzones, nubes, asentamientos y lugares de culto de civilizaciones anteriores a la nuestra. Símbolos grabados en piedra y columnas de roca que sujetan el cielo, cuervas cuya entrada cuelga en un paredón volcánico vertical imponente. No todos llegan donde nosotros ni valoran los detalles del camino igual. No es sólo llegar, es paladear cada paso, es parar encarando el Sol con los ojos cerrados y en silencio mientras se es consciente de lo imponente del lugar en el que estamos...respirar  hondo y sonreír...

Palmeras, tabaibas, cardones...sur cálido aún virgen...esperemos que siga así para que podamos seguir perdiéndonos en éste pequeño gran continente que es Gran Canaria...

Que corto se me hizo...espero haber sembrado la curiosidad y las ganas de volver, porque aquí espero... con más aún por compartir...



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Elisabeth´s beautiful travel in Gran Canaria

We saw your real colours. We saw your real face. We smell your aroma. We tasted your real flavour. We walked over you. We experienced your powerful landscapes. We heard your silence and also the voices of those who used to live before us... 

We got to know you a little better, our beloved Gran Canaria!

@GuillermoOfficialGuide 

www.grancanariasightseeing.com

GranCanariaSightseeing.blogspot.com.es

Disconnect to reconnect

-We needed this...a deep breath of fresh air, light, energy...

-Come with me my friends, do you want to feel the energy?

We started our sightseeing day in Gran Canaria going to the top of a recent volcano, the mountain of Arucas, to make the briefing of the day that was awaiting for us... and what a day my friends... what a day... not only sightseeing...

I realized that their faces were a projection of their joy as soon as we started to see the beautiful landscapes of the north east, full of green and ravines, palmtrees and canarian wood  balconies, all brightened with a beautiful and shiny morning sun. 

"Maybe you are used to this, but this landscapes are beautiful!"

I try to see this places, as my dear Belén says, as if it was the first time I see them, and then I try to transmit what they make feel... it is soo good for our souls

We kept going on until we reached Bandama. I completely love to see and hear the reactions to that magnificent view. Guys, you can now say that you have been walking inside the belly of volcanic crater, surrounded by exotic flora, picón and old rock walls. The area is so powerful... the way the landscape we see was created was so caotic...but look at it now, completely covered with "new" life... "destruction as part of creation in nature"

At this point we stopped for a while inside the volcano and it was obvious...It was happening, they were disconnecting to reconnect with nature... and I was feeling so pleased to be part of that proccess.

Our next place to visit was one of the most complete and spectacular archaeological sites of the island...we walked slowly and quiet to feel the energy, to hear the whispered stories that the walls of Cuatro Puertas told us. It was moving to see how these people, from such different parts of the Earth, felt empathy and connection with the lifes that were lived there. I like to try to explain the few things I know about how the first inhabitants lived, but afer that, I love to remain silent, sitting in the middle of all those caves, just letting the place take control of our emotions, and I can tell that Corrine almost had tears in her eyes...

That place is magical if you have the will hear it, to read it, to feel it.

We spent almost all day at 400-600 over the coast, but now we are going to the summit my friends, prepare to see how all this vegetation changes, prepare to gain altitude fast, prepare to walk above the clouds...

"I have seen this ladscape just from the window of a plane, I never thought I could see this standing up on my feet!"

I felt soo happy when we left all the clouds under our presence, that meant that my final surprise for them was going to be absolutely worthy... and I was not wrong. We kept climbing until we reached the highest area of the island. It was more crowded than I like to enjoy a proper deep relaxing sunset, so we walked a little bit to try to avoid the unnecesary noise made by all those that do not understand this experiences as we do... silence in those places is gold, is priceless, is part of the natural show: to sit in the top of this huge volcanic piramid in the Atlantic, hear the sound of silence while your senses get overwhelmed by beauty... pure, raw, universal beauty...

It definitely was "universal beauty", all those elements in our sight, the impresive central island mountains and calderas surrounded by the "cloud sea", all those unique canarian pines,flocks of canary birds singing, clear blue sky above our heads, the shape of father Teide in the background and the colors of the sunset...I never heard what Marvel said at that point, and he was completely accurate:

-"You feel so connected to this because you are watching all four elements in the same landscape" 

Earth from these volcanic island, wind and water in those clouds playing around the caldera, the mighty Atlantic bathing all around the horizon, and fire from our Sun... providing life at so many levels... 

And if that is not enough, a special gift awaits for those that stay a little bit longer enjoying those orange colors in the horizon, and that gift is a beautiful sky full of stars...

Only the good ones remain up here after the sun is gone... we know it is worthy. We stopped in a really dark area to observe that night sky full of little shiny dots and a beautiful "grandma" Moon.

He could not believe that, he was happy, jumping in the middle of the darkness

-"I feel free!!"

Our Spirits were flying.

Just to finish our intense journey we went to have dinner in a restaurant that is inside a cave, in the isolated and magic Guayadeque ravine. When we were sharing the highlights of the day savouring delicious local food I felt so rewarded watching their faces and hearing their reactions and comments...

They really reconnected with what really matters; and I said to myself "life experience achieved, mission accomplished"

This energy, this huge amount of beauty that we enjoyed is ust a scratch of what this miniature continent can give us, and it can be really addictive.

We will see each other again, I´m sure my friends...

DO YOU WANT TO FEEL THE ENERGY?!

THIS PLACE IS FULL OF IT!!

Primeras impresiones al empezar a descubrir Gran Canaria

Como presentación y primera entrada de éste Blog voy a rescatar las primeras impresiones que sentimos cuando, al comienzo de mi despertar de conciencia en éstas islas Afortunadas, su belleza me sirvió de bálsamo sanador. Abrir los ojos y el alma al descubrimiento de ésta tierra Canaria es mi razón de ser, y enseñarla desde la pasión mi modo de vida. Aquí les dejo con un extracto de lo que supuso el amanecer de mi nuevo "yo". Gran Canaria, ese Continente en Miniatura que nos enamora...

Es 24 de Febrero. Estoy solo. Muy solo. Mi familia está muy lejos, mis amigos de verdad también, y la persona que compartía mi camino como pareja dejó de estarlo, en parte por la distancia, en parte por mi inmadurez... no es nada raro ni nuevo, pero todo pasa por algo... y de todo se aprende amigo... anda, sal de casa, vete a descubrir la isla, piérdete lento y sin prisa, a ver a donde llegamos... y surgió ésto:

"Un poco de crónica de un domingo a lomos de la Suzuki Van Van: He salido un poco tarde de casa dispuesto a perderme por las carreteras de las medianías; pero que más da la hora, no tengo otro plan que explorar, pasear y disfrutar; sólo quiero estar por el oeste de la isla sobre las 6 para que me de tiempo a ver el atardecer.
Lo dicho, he salido rumbo al centro desde Telde a eso de las 12, y nada más llegar a Valsequillo la pared verde que se levantaba delante de mí ya me hizo decir por primera vez en el día "que locura"... Los barrancos, las vaguadas y los escarpes se dibujaban perfectos gracias a que el día estaba claro, y su verde era intenso..."que locura" y soltaba una risa nerviosa dentro del casco...Cuando alcancé Tenteniguada (me encanta la sonoridad de algunos de éstos nombres) me aventuré por un camino hasta ahora desconocido para mí y subí por Casas Blancas hasta que acabé escalando, literalmente, con la moto un pequeño sendero sin asfaltar, en primera y tranquilo llegué hasta donde el camino me dejó y paré el motor. Sólo se oían cantos de pájaros y el zumbido de los insectos, nerviosos ya por la floración. 

Me llamaron la atención unas formaciones rocosas muy curiosas, eran roques ya muy erosionados, y uno de ellos parecía mantenerse en equilibrio sobre una base más estrecha. Me quedé un rato allí, perdido en medio del barranco, sin hacer ni decir nada, sólo estando, sólo escuchando...
Cuando recorrí el camino a la inversa me dirigí hacia San Mateo, de ahí a Valleseco, y luego hasta Artenara. Barrancos, curvas, verde, azul y negro. Negro de la roca, azul del cielo y verde de mil tonos: líquenes, helechos, pinos, castaños, almendros en flor...

Paraba cada 6 o 7 curvas porque merecía la pena pararse a contemplar el paisaje, y, llegando a Artenera...Tenerife se recortaba perfecta con el Teide imponente sobresaliendo del mar de nubes..."que, locura...".

De ahí hasta mi regreso esa silueta no dejó de acompañarme. Una vez en Artenara ni me paré, iba con el ritmo fluido y me dejé llevar hasta mi última parada: los pinares de Tamadaba (me encanta la sonoridad de algunos de éstos nombres). En cuanto comencé a rodar por el asfalto de esta zona noté que me cruzaría con poco tráfico, y así fue. Llegue a las 6 a mi parada final, al borde de la carretera, a más de 1000 metros de altitud, con unos acantilados cuajados de pinos y mirando al oeste. Paré el motor y me dispuse a dar buena cuenta de mi jamón "der güeno". La definición de lo que se siente allí es PAZ. Sólo se escucha el viento meciendo las acículas, e incluso, si se presta atención, las olas romper en las playas inaccesibles que se ven en la base de todo el edificio natural. Un vencejo me ha sacado una sonrisa cuando ha pasado y ha soltado su peculiar gritito...me encantan esos bichos, de hecho, yo soy uno, ya lo contaré...

  Y ahí me he quedado, disfrutando del jamón, la paz y el paisaje hasta que ha dado comienzo el espectáculo...y que espectáculo. No lo voy a describir, hay fotos que lo reflejan mejor, pero en las fotos no huele a pino, ni se oye el silencio...cuando el motor de todo este tinglado se nos ha escondido eran las 7. Me he despedido con un "hasta mañana amigo", me he abrigado, y de vuelta; pero la cosa no acaba ahí. Al rodear el parque de Tamadaba ya con los colores rojizos del ocaso en los retrovisores, se ha lucido la Luna!, que a un día de estar llena estaba preciosa, y lo mejor es que iluminaba al siempre vigilante Nublo, al que no había visto hasta entonces, "QUE LOCURAAA".

Ya de vuelta a casa y con el móvil sin batería (así que no hay pruebas gráficas) he contemplado, bajando por Teror, tooodo el mar de nubes iluminado desde arriba por la luna...jojooo, "que locura"...de ahí hasta casa sólo cabe recalcar que ni el frío, ni conducir de noche por carreteras reviradas y bacheadas desmerecen en absoluto lo que hoy he vivido. 8 horas, 140 km, 6 euros de jamón der güeno y otros 4 de gasolina...la sonrisa mental a prueba de telediarios, jefes, estreses y problemas no tiene precio.
Buena semana a tod@s."

Bienvenidos a mi mundo...
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