Day 8 – Monday 16th March

Welcome back, everyone! I appreciate your readership over the past week – there’s been plenty going on! Today’s a short one as we’re heading back to the Airport this afternoon – and home! . The last Post for this holiday!

As I’m sure you know by now, we’ve been staying here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue for the past week. Last time we were all together was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great time (in spite of my left hand being in a cast! . This year, we timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that ran from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, where the headline celebrations included: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) last Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and yesterday’s Burning of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the week has been the Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We had also hired a car on arrival at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

10.55am: After checking out, we took the drive to Castillo Caleta de Fuste on the east coast. It’s a holiday resort developed in the 80s and ‘loved by the Brits’. In my book that’s either welcome news or ‘something else!’ . In spite of the very precise sat-nav directions, the route was ‘interesting’, mainly down to the construction/extension of the FV-2.

12.24pm: It took a while to find the area’s famous beach, but when we did, parking was easy AND free.

Actually, as we attempted to finish our journey ,it was all quite confusing as to exactly where we were. We deduced that although the beach was in our intended location, we were actually slightly off-kilter, in nearby, Puerto Castillo.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, wherever we were, it was all very nice! Warm? Just bordering on too warm as we settled down for a well-deserved beer!.

1.05pm: We grabbed a seat in the nearby Barcelo Resort called The Show Factory and attempted to order some drinks and a light snack. Barcelo seemed to own the whole area around here, and it showed in the shocking service. Yikes! A challenging task in itself just to order drinks and nachos! And we weren’t the only ones, as the table next door was getting increasingly agitated playing ‘spot the waiter’! Whilst we waited, we people-watched! We eventually got our drinks and snacks, but it was easily the WORST service we’d experienced since being out here.

Still, the Sun had definitely got its hat on – and that eased the frustration. Just! .

2.40pm: We decided to head back to the hire-car that by now had been roasting for the past few hours. Ann and I concluded that it wasn’t our kind of area at all – it all felt a bit ‘false’ and ‘manufactured’. It had all the right ingredients – plenty of places to eat/drink, wall-to-wall sunshine and a constant parade of people to observe going about their business, just not very ‘natural’. After a final wander around the nearby Souvenir Shop, we said our goodbyes.

Back in the car, I drove us on the short journey back to the airport. Thankfully, the sprint was short and jam-free.

3.15pm: We returned the hire-car without any fuss, and once we found the Departures area. We easily found four seats whilst we waited for the departure desks to open.

4.22pm: In fact, for once, things got BETTER. After a fairly swift piece of ‘extreme queuing’, our bags were all checked in, and then we noticed they had called the flight early.

7.01pm: We were soon boarded and on our way home! The flight was pretty full – and pretty full of people who had clearly forgotten their suntan lotion. Ouch! Pink is the new mahogany! . Those easyJet seats were uncomfortable enough without needing any extra help from super-sensitive skin!

10.28pm: Less than four hours later, the early departure and the wind in our direction meant we made good time, and we were soon retrieving our bags and queuing with the rest of mankind to get through Immigration. Good to see that the eGates at Brum were as reliable as ever – but selfishly, at least I got through without incident (and that makes a change!)

00.07am: After picking up Sue’s car, we were soon negotiating the national collection of bollards as we exited Birmingham Airport (what are they doing here? HS2? ). A clear run meant we were on familiar roads until the overhead gantry announced that J2&3 were closed on the A14. A swift detour by Sue around the back roads near Kelmarsh saw us avoiding cats and badgers who were also out late, and we arrived back on the Farm at just after midnight. Quick hugs all around, and after transferring our bags to our car, we were on our way home.

00.47am: Unpack tonight? Nope! Put on the first (of many) washing loads? Absolutely not! A quick check of the post? Not a chance! Wonder why DPD threw a package over the back gate even though we put a big notice on the door to place anything in the porch or deliver to a neighbour? That conundrum is for tomorrow!

Back to reality then!!?? . See you on our next adventure!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 8 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 7 – Sunday 16th March

Morning, my loyal reader! Boy, that was a late one last night!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations includes the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, and you can read about that HERE.

Our home has been Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

The weather has been pretty consistent during our stay. We could have all coped with it being a tad warmer, but all-in-all, it’s been OK.

9.35am: So, what to do today on our penultimate day here? Over breakfast, we decided, as a start, on a slow mooch around the Town. No particular destination in mind – just a gentle stroll, taking in the sights and sounds of Corralejo. We also have the ‘Burial of the Sardine’ to investigate. Or is that the BURNING of the Sardine? No-one seems to be sure, including the residents here (more about that later!). So, at this stage, we have no idea of the details surrounding this pivotal and final part of the Corralego Carnival – but we do love a mystery!!!!

11.10am: We’re off!

Once we got outside, it became clear this was one of the best days so far for the weather, with temperatures already exceeding the forecast by a few degrees – but the cool breeze was back. With our Hotel about 1½ miles from our destination, its proximity to the main action has certainly helped with our step-count and distance – pretty much 1½ miles x 2 every day since we arrived (and sometimes more)

11.35am: Once we arrived in the main shopping area, Corralejo looked just like it always does – busy and scrupulously clean! The Street Cleaners (who we caught a glimpse of last night as we were walking back to the Hotel) had done a grand job in clearing up the litter from the Carnival. We’ve always found the area to be completely litter-free, but last night was an exception with bins overflowing and some areas looking like the worst of the UK! . Hats off to these hidden heroes!!

Today, it was just great to be wandering in the sunshine with no particular place to go! On our walkabout, we spotted the OFFICIAL Tourist Information Office and thought that would be an ideal place to clear up the mystery of the Carnival-related sardine’s destiny starring in tonight’s event (we’re kind, like that!) – and exactly WHERE the event would be taking place.

Sadly, the Spanish member of staff didn’t quite understand what we were asking, but a nearby Brit DID! It turned out that she had lived in Fuerteventura for over 30 years and was part of the big procession last night. This sounded promising, and she was therefore happy to clear up the confusion. We explained that we’d seen the event referred to as the BURNING of the Sardine, but elsewhere it was referred to as the BURIAL of the Sardine! (You can tell we had nothing more pressing on our minds!)

A detailed and helpful conversation from our newest BFF revealed where the event would take place, and that it definitely wouldn’t be BURIAL (as that wouldn’t be allowed). So BURNING it was going to be, and finally, the mystery was solved! Oh! And one final point, the event involves the Town Mayor. All good then!

Err, ‘no!’ On leaving, we took a closer look at the Poster pinned up right outside the Tourist Office, that clearly listed the event as BURIAL of the Sardine. Doh! . Well, at least we know WHERE to see the sardine spectacle – and at 7pm tonight, the mystery will be ‘put to bed’

12.05pm: With the Sardine’s destiny still causing confusion (and in the absence of a darkened room to lie down in), we stopped for coffee in the harbour area. Restaurant La Longa caught our eye as we’d been here last time we visited the island, and we recall the coffee being very good! Another great opportunity for us to look out across the water, people watch and continue to enjoy the sunshine.

12.25pm: That was a yummy coffee. Eventually, we left Paul & Sue to do their thing, whilst we did ours – looking for somewhere for us all to eat tonight. In truth, there was just (still) too much choice, even though we’ve eaten out every night since we arrived. It would be an interesting exercise to see how many days we could eat here in the evening before we’d tried them all!? I’m sure there’s someone, somewhere, who’s already worked this out! As they say: ‘Answers on a postcard, please’

12.35pm: We meandered our way back to the Hotel, where a mix of sunbathing and siesta followed. Yes, it’s still a tough life here, but we better soon start getting used to the reality of heading home tomorrow!

4.45pm: Ann began the process of packing, whilst I did very little to help – you got to play to your skillsets, haven’t you!?

6.00pm: Later, it was the familiar walk back into Town for our evening meal. Having not seen anywhere in particular on our wanderings earlier today, it was just a case of ‘seeing what took our fancy’. Having already enjoyed Indian, Pizza, Steak and Fish eateries, we fancied Chinese, if only because we hadn’t already!

6.35pm: With the Sardine event due in around half an hour at 7pm (which we’ve learned is err, ‘flexible’ in Spanish time), we grabbed a few nibbles at the familiar Alma Brunch where we’d enjoyed a late-night hot chocolate a few days ago.

7.00pm: As expected, the scheduled time for ‘sardine ahoy’ came and went!

The crowds were now building, and after another fifteen minutes or so, to the sound of beating drums, the procession began to make its way towards the Pier. Led by the Town’s Mayor and various generations of Carnival Queens, just like last night, there was a lot of enthusiasm for the event.

And then, the real star of the show: the Corralejo Sardine! OK, it wasn’t a REAL one, so that was the first mystery cleared up. The fish looked pretty contented given its future, propelled by a small group of dedicated Chinese mourners, supported by two large, VERY capable Drum Bands and followed by what appeared to be the grieving ‘Sardine family’ dressed in black (but dancing the night away!). Yes, it was all very weird but I’m sure there’s a symbolic backstory that explains all this!

There was certainly no need for any grief counselling as the dancing families seemed to be having a great time!!! . The procession wasn’t on the scale of last night’s Grand Parade, but what they lacked in numbers they more than made up for in noise! As they disappeared into the distance, we followed the crowd, heading for the Town’s Pier.

7.57pm: The area near the Pier was quite crowded, but we managed to get a good position. Burning or Burial of the Sardine was about to be revealed. As the pictures show, it turned out to be the former. As the entourage gathered near the fish’s funeral, in true keeping with modern H&S practices, they were accompanied by the local Fire Service! It took a while for the fire to take hold, but when it did, it was quite a spectacle. Thinking about it now, I’m not sure how, given the size of the fish, and that it was now pitch black, how they would have conducted the burial

So, now we know! They don’t BURY Sardines here in Corralejo, it’s a cremation all the way!

8.14pm: And, as the Sardine gently toasted on the beach, its demise gave way to the firework display. What a display! Ten minutes of really good quality pyrotechnics.

This included a type that none of us had seen before. Most firewoks go in a single direction – UP, but the display tonight included a number that were fired HORIZONTALLY. They pointed out to sea and then, after a short pause, headed for the heavens! This was a really effective way to see fireworks on the water without the need for them being fired FROM the water. Genius!

8.25pm: With the firework display coming to an end, there was a mass exodus from the Pier area, before things quietened down as we arrived back in the main strip. Most restaurants seemed to be busy as we headed for ‘Asia Garden’ – and our final evening meal here in Corralejo.

The Restaurant was heaving, but after a short wait, they found us a table. Just like all good Chinese restaurants, the range was enormous, but in the end, we settled for one of their preset Buffets.

I’m not sure where the time went! One minute we were sipping our sweetcorn soup (easy for you to say!!) and the next moment, we were paying the (very reasonable) bill!

10.45pm: As we wandered back towards the Hotel for the very last time this holiday, we spotted something very unusual! An EMPTY Corralejo! I guess it showed it MUST be a Sunday, and for many, there was work tomorrow. It was a comfortable 18℃ and completely breeze-free making it a very pleasant final mooch!

11.20pm: Time for some beauty sleep . They’ll be a final SHORT Post tomorrow as we’re heading back to the Airport, but not before we take a drive to the town of Caleta De Fuste (which is on the way). See you then!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 7 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 6 – Saturday 14th March

Morning readers! Thanks for following our latest adventure! Just a couple of days left before we return to Blighty, where the highlight of TODAY is to be the Grand Parade tonight in town – all part of the annual Corralejo Carnival!

We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our temporary home is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

10.30am: After our now-familiar late, late Breakfast, as we made plans for another tough day – guess where?

11.15am: Slap on the lotion, find the best spot, grab the free lounger-cushions and remember my reading glasses. Yep! We’re poolside again!! . Flanked by Paul & Sue, that’s where we stayed. Better still, if anything, it was actually warmer than yesterday, where the occasional breeze was, for once, a welcome and occasional interruption

1.55pm: In that time, I finally finished my reading quota for this week – “Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red” by Andrew Thompson (thanks, Janet!) – a great book packed full of ‘I never knew that‘ moments. Reading aside, that was now enough rays for us today, and it was now back to the room for the obligatory siesta

5.45pm: Time to head into Town and join the rest of mankind to see the Grand Parade and then grab a bite to eat.

6.15pm: By the time we arrived, it was already quite busy with the ‘Avenue’ lined on both sides with people like us awaiting the start of this year’s celebrations. We had agreed yesterday that initially, we’d try and find a position higher up to get an uninterrupted view. We spotted a Bar on an upper floor that was all part of the Las Palmeras (how appropriate!) shopping area, appropriately named ‘The Lager & Ale Sports Bar‘. From a distance, it didn’t look too busy, so we tried the closest lift (switched off!) and then the nearby stairs that got us to our vantage point.

This turned out to be a good decision as we could see almost to the start of the planned procession. We also got our drinks in double-quick time AND a seat too – albeit a concrete bench! Still, we were in position and ready for the off.

Since we arrived, it had been challenging to find out the specifics of this year’s event. Given that this is a big annual celebration, we expected the town to be awash with posters and general information. Not quite! Even our hotel didn’t seem to know the precise timings of events. Now in position, with drinks in hand, we took our cue from a drone flying overhead, that we assumed must be ‘in the know’. It sat in the air, hovering, for a good 20 minutes before ‘returning to home’ (presumably because it was in need of a new battery!). It clearly wasn’t just us then who wondered WHEN it would all officially begin.

7.10pm: We wondered no longer! We could see movement in the distance and heard the sound of distant drums (we were to learn that these would be a BIG feature of the event as the evening unfolded!). Let the evening begin!

The Grand Parade

Another uncertainty for us was the SCALE of the event. Would it be ‘just a few’ Floats and performers… or something bigger? By now, the streets were packed on both sides and we congratulated ourselves on our position above the organised chaos down below.. I decided to get a lot closer – and I’m pleased I did. Five minutes later, I was in amongst the action and that turned out to be a good decision.

It soon became apparent that this was, in terms of scale, a really BIG event! With my new ‘ground level view’ looking up the Avenue, there appeared to be miles of vehicles and performers. As the procession passed, all became clear as the crowd prepared itself for an assault on the senses- in a very good way!

I’ll just leave these here!

We had Drum Bands alternating with dancers all supported by Float after highly decorated Float. Visually, it was absolutely stunning. The Drum Bands were dressed in their finery and playing as if their lives depended on it! Fantastic! In all my days, I’ve never seen anything that approached the colour, the size, the spectacle and the pure enjoyment that was on display tonight!

And they kept coming. I lost count of the number of Floats, but later we estimated there were more that 50/60!

In amongst the highly regimented Drum Bands and the immaculately dressed Floats, there was room for a lot of quirkiness too! We had no idea who some of the characters represented, but it didn’t matter as everyone was having a lot of fun getting into the spirit of the event!

I was only close to the action for about 30 minutes, but there was clearly a lot more to come! I headed back upstairs to join the others where Ann had been snapping some ‘distance shots’.

We decided to get ahead of the crowds and walk to the Restaurant, just 10 minutes further on.

8.05pm: Would the restaurant be mobbed? Would we get a seat? Slightly bizarrely – ‘no’ and ‘yes’. They easily found us a table even though the restaurant was already quite busy.

They even put us by a window, and so we got a reasonably good view of the procession as the evening wore on.

9.55pm: The meal and the service were excellent (especially the latter, as they were now getting very busy). For me, it was probably the best meal of this holiday as they clearly know how to serve a steak. Being able to see the action too, was a real bonus. The procession was continuous throughout our meal – two-and-a-half hours of dancing, drumming and waving finally brought this year’s celebrations to a close just after 9.45. We skipped Dessert and headed out amongst the crowds.

It had been an excellent evening and we all agreed it had been worth booking the holiday to coincide with the town’s annual event.

10.30pm: We wandered along to the now-familiar marquee, where a Salsa Band was playing. Not surprisingly, it was the busiest we’d seen it since we arrived last Monday. By now, some of the more quirky performers had ‘broken ranks’ and were wandering aimlessly around the town in various states of inebriation. In fact, some weren’t walking it all, preferring to be carried or simply propping themselves up in vacant corners. It was easy to spot the Brits amongst it all. Loud, proud and with more than a few dressed as Batman (nope, me neither!). It became clear that over and above the official Carnival performances, some had simply used the event to dress up – after all, it was a Saturday night!

10.45pm: Ann and I went in search of ice-cream – and El Momento Gelato Artesanal came to the rescue with its generous scoops of multiple flavours – Snickers/Cherry/Caramel and Strawberry combo for me, whilst Ann (on standby with Rennies for me!) was far more refined and restrained with (just) Snickers and Caramelised Toffee. Paul and Sue stayed on to enjoy a hot chocolate whilst we took the now familiar walk back to the Hotel, following (at a safe distance) three paralytic Scotsmen who had clearly enjoyed the evening and wanted to sing about it whilst walking along the middle of the road. Brits abroad, ehh!? Almost as memorable as the Carnival itself!

Wow! What an evening! Thanks Corralejo for an unforgettable event!

11.35pm: . 11.35???? See you tomorrow (maybe!) .

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 6 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 5 – Friday 13th March

Welcome back, dear reader! It’s another day in Paradise!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was here in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 where we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the coming week has been Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay.

A shorter read today, as our day split into three distinct parts

• A lazy morning
• A lazy afternoon
• A lazy evening

On the weather front, the temperature was on the rise. OK, only a degree or so, but we’re beginning to feel the difference as it seems to be increasing every day. Yikes! By the time we leave, we could be up to 25℃!

11.03am: After Breakfast, we took the decision to make today a car-free day, so that meant a lazy one, with time around the pool. I know, as a regular reader of our travels, you’ll feel our pain!

Joking aside, this was the first day that the area was completely free of the cold breeze that has followed us around since we arrived. We wanted to make the most of its absence, and so we grabbed a lounger, and that’s where we stayed for the next three-and-a-bit hours

2.30pm: Perfect timing as we returned to our room for a short siesta, just as a hint of ‘the breeze’ was returning. It’s been an exhausting morning! and I’m not sure where the afternoon went!

6.05pm: We decided to walk into Town and find a Restaurant looking out across the water. It was the warmest evening so far. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was ‘hot’, but perfectly pleasant during our now familiar mile-or-so meanderings towards the main drag.

6.24pm: Since our last visit, they’ve improved the walking route close to the water – known as Toro Beach – less sand and more of a structured wooden path. However, it looked like the constructors got bored in places (or lost the plans!) as it didn’t join up as one continuous route, and we were still forced to feel the sand between our toes! Overall, though, it’s now a much better experience and especially helpful to those who might be less mobile.

The other great thing about our relaxed walk was that it took us away from the main strip and past quite a few Restaurants that we wouldn’t have otherwise seen – in fact, during our wanderings, I think EVERY building was an eatery of some sort. Welcome to Fuertaventura and Toro Beach!

6.45pm: After checking out the menus along the route, we settled for La Playita, which, if we craned our neck, we could see the sea! It was already busy when we arrived, and by the time we left, pretty much full (and it was a large Restaurant!).

It was drinks all around to start the evening with Paul, Sue and me enjoying a large beer, whilst Ann opted for a G&T where the Waiter was more than generous with the ‘G’ part! I think there must be a gin mountain secretly stashed somewhere on the island, as we haven’t found anywhere yet that is able to serve a single measure. Shame!

It was all very tasty! After a yummy first course, we tucked into our Mains with Sue enjoying the catch of the day – Paul Red Snapper, Ann trying the Sole, Paul on Sea Bass, and me sampling the most unusual of fish dishes: four-cheese-sauce macaroni! I love fish, but not if it looks like one! Weirdo!!!

We turned our heads to plans for tomorrow, as being a Saturday and Carnival Week’s penultimate day, there’s a large Parade in the evening – and we all fancied seeing it. Of course, so will most of the island (well, that was our thinking). We agreed that finding somewhere to eat, at a sensible time, whilst still being in time to watch the Parade was a good plan.

8.30pm: After our meal, our next stop was a brief return to the now-familiar Carnival marquee, where a group of about 50 youngsters were having the time of their lives dressed in the brightest of greens. Whatever they were singing about, we had no idea, but you couldn’t fault their enthusiasm!

8.40pm: We took a walk around the familiar eatery spots, perusing their menus and checking prices. Compared with the UK, it’s still far cheaper to eat out here, but some that we looked at, were more expensive than others. In the end, we settled for El Toro Bravo and its wide range of steaks. We also thought we ought to book, as the thought of the gazillions of people coming to see the Parade would seriously hamper our chances of finding anywhere on the night at a sensible time.

8.55pm: Strangely though, when we popped inside El Toro to make the booking, the Waiter seemed very relaxed about NOT needing to book ahead. In his slightly broken English, he advised: ‘just turn up at any time, and we’ll fit you in’. We weren’t expecting that!

As we headed out of town and with the hard part of the day completed – and our Eatery sorted – we went in search of Hot Chocolate (the drink, not the group) and we remembered we’d done exactly the same during our last visit, three years ago. We attempted to find the exact same Bar but some of the names had changed since that time, and in the end, we settled for ‘Alma Brunch‘ (although that seemed to be going through a rebranding exercise according to the Staff’s t-shirts sporting the name ‘Gorilla Tattoo’). The consensus was that this WAS the same place as back in January 2024.

9.10pm: Well, that was worth the wait (weight?)! More chocolatey than Mr Chocolate from Chocolate town, its smoothness was no doubt down to the optional slug of brandy! . In between the sips, we reflected on our day and our plans for tomorrow, where we were all looking forward to the Carnival celebrations.

9.35pm: We left Paul & Sue to experience more of Fuertaventura’s night-life whilst we slowly wandered back to the Hotel. We were both strangely tired tonight – all that relaxing had been exhausting!

10.10pm: See you Saturday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 5 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 4 – Thursday 12th March

You came back! Thanks! . Welcome to Day 4 – a day of wonky weather forecasts, wishlists and worship; performances, processions and pizzas!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for this week is the Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area. It’s a tank-like Sssssshcoda Kodiaq 7 seater.

We’ve decided to make a day of it and head south to a village called Betancuria – population: 801! It was on this four’s wishlist, and Jo & Janet had also enjoyed their time here recently too! For historical context, it was originally the ancient capital of the whole of the Canaries, and everyone we know who’s been to this part of the world has recommended that we visit this gem. Word to the Wise: If you follow in our footsteps, note that although it takes less than an hour to get there by car, the last section is fairly twisty! Enjoy! .

According ot the marketing blurb: “Betancuria is a historic, picturesque village in the mountainous interior of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404 by the French explorer, Jean de Béthencourt. As the island’s first capital until 1834, it is now a peaceful, tourist-oriented destination”.

11.15am: After Breakfast, it was a spot of ‘role reversal’ as Sue took the wheel, and I was Navigator (I think I got the easier role!) . We were soon on our way, where the weather was on our side (no rain/warmer than yesterday/little wind) but in terms of the travelling, it took a little time to get used to the constantly changing speed limits and the lack of road signage. It ended up being a pretty uneventful (but enjoyable) journey, although we did temporarily miss a turn, and quickly corrected our error thanks to a little help from ‘Mr Google’.

About ten minutes before we arrived, we stumbled across a couple of statues that Jo & Janet had mentioned when describing their recent visit here. They’re located at a scenic viewpoint called Moro Velosa.

Parking was limited, but we squeezed in and took a closer look. The statues are of two former Kings – Guize and Ayose, the last Mahos tribal chiefs and the statues were designed by artist and architect César Manrique. The only way to really appreciate the workmanship was to get up close, and Ann ‘took one for the team’. Given Ann’s positioning in the photo, personally, I would have worn a waterproof hat!!! . Opposite the statues (mind the road!) was a spectacular view across the valley.

12.40pm: We were soon arriving at our destination. It felt (and was) definitely warmer than yesterday with a healthy 22℃, and the hottest day since we arrived. Luckily for us, the weather forecast had been consistently ‘wonky’ since we arrived – in pretty much every case, ignoring the wind, it’s been a tad warmer than suggested. Huzzah!

Again, limited parking saw us grab the last space in the official parking area for the village. In fact, I think we created the space, as the car-park was technically already full! . Living on the edge, us four, ehh?!?! . We took the short partly-stepped route into the village itself.

The pedestrian entrance route was fairly narrow, beginning with a sand-covered path and then a series of steps (requiring an informal one-way system to prevent those leaving from colliding with those arriving). Having carefully and courteously paused to let ‘oncoming traffic’ through, in barged a group of Germans who were stopping for no-one! . Teutonic travellers now ahead, we were soon up the stairs and into the village. Weather-wise, it was turning into a gorgeous day!

With the steps conquered, we were greeted by Don Quixote, Rucio, and of course, Sancho Panza (perhaps the impatient Germans thought there was a Tank ahead? (I digress. Again ).

Whoever thought it was a good idea to promote the Village based on its history of being the ancient Capital, was onto a good thing! . Whether it was the variety of flowers and foliage or just the general feel of the place, we all enjoyed every square inch. It wasn’t particularly large in square footage – easily covered in a hour, but a) it was busy and b) it felt cared for. With everything restored within an inch of its life (without overdoing things), it was an authentic slice of history and the perfect Tourists’ trap Paradise

For us though, the standout attraction had to be the Church. Helpfully named: The Church of Santa María De Betancuria, the interior was a feast for the eyes. Dating back as far as 1404, imagine worshipping here all those years ago!

Founded in 1410 by Jean de Béthencourt it features a blend of Norman-Gothic, Baroque, and Mudéjar styles, including a notable wooden ceiling, wooden/stone floor and a 17th-century altarpiece. Nice… very nice!

It was worth the drive just to see this! 100% recommended, even if you’re not particularly religious. Note that it’s not free to get in (just like the toilets here). Great value at just 2€ per person (in contrast, the loos cost 1€!)

1.30pm: By now, we were all cultured out, and a short pitstop at the nearby Café – Casa Santa Maria – was calling our name. Less ‘Man of la Mancha’ and more ‘Men with the Munchies’.

2.10pm: Yummy! That all went down a treat. We’d now seen everything we wanted to see and headed back to the car for our return to Corralejo. Sue was again in charge of ‘the tank’, and we returned to base in record time.

3.05pm: Back at the Hotel, some of us siestered whilst others made the most of the improving weather.

6.10pm: If last night was Curry Night, then tonight HAD to be Pizza! Checking the Carnival Programme showed that there was also some entertainment on near ‘Music Square’ in the popup marquee – more of that later.

We took a short wander before the performances began and enjoyed a quick drink. Unusually, the welcome was a little frosty (maybe because we ‘only’ wanted drinks) at our chosen watering hole, but Ann and Sue were rewarded with what looked like triple measures of Gin in their G&Ts. Both glasses certainly looked like a generous glassful even before the tonic was added . It’s a tough life out here!

7.35pm: We returned to the marquee, where the performances were now in full swing. It’s difficult to fully appreciate the energy in the photograph, but we were about as close as we could get – it was all very well supported, and those on stage ranged from ‘tiny-tots’ to adults – and it seemed, every age in between! They were giving the music their all. Choreographed within an inch of its life, what we saw was a powerful performance of song and dance – and a real joy to watch. Enthusiasm was off the scale as demonstrated by the performers AND those watching.

7.55pm: Pizza time! Plenty of choice for Pizzerias in the immediate area where we chose ‘Peperoni‘ (yes, with a single ‘p’!). It was obviously a popular place with pretty much ALL of the tables pre-booked. Luckily for us, they squeezed us in.

Inside, it was the simplest of decor, giving it a more intimate feel. Service was swift (pretty much the norm out here) and we learned that they’re the 9th most popular pizzeria in Spain (according to TripAdvisor!). That might certainly explain all the ‘reserved’ signs then! . Talking of signage, the choice of pizzas was simply enormous, so large, in fact, they displayed the more popular choices ON THE WALL – and it was a long wall! . Come here for their excellent pizzas (but not their WiFi, that they proudly announced they didn’t have, unless bribed ).

We all enjoyed our respective choices. I opted for the ‘Pozo Negro’ featuring Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Porcini Mushrooms, and Gorgonzola. They all had a real homemade feel to them. A bottle of very smooth Red sealed the deal!

9.25pm: The night wasn’t quite over as we were about to find out. Was that the sound of distant drums, or was my Tinnitus playing up? Thankfully, it WAS drums – and it was getting louder! Great news then, as what we’d missed in the performances at the marquee earlier (in part) was now making its way towards us. We hadn’t expected this, but judging by the number of people now lining the streets with their camera-phones at the ready, it was all part of the Corralejo Carnival experience! Wow! What an atmosphere!! ,

The costumes, the colours and the sheer enthusiasm certainly brought a party atmosphere to the streets of Corralejo! And they weren’t done yet as they danced their way past the restaurants and into ‘Music Square’. We followed the growing crowd of err, followers, where the dancers and drummers just kept going. Today, Corralejo, tomorrow, the world (well, there was no stopping them tonight) where it certainly looked like they had a few more miles left to cover. Whatever they were on, can I have some, please??

10.05pm: We left Paul & Sue to enjoy the atmosphere in ‘Music Square’ that, even by its usual ‘buzzy’ atmosphere, was now experiencing even more of it than usual. Tempted to join the dancers (really? ) we side-stepped the main procession and took the now-familiar walk back to the hotel. It was now just after 10pm, and the wonky weather forecast had truly exceeded expectations – the breeze had dropped, and even at this late hour, it was warm enough for me just to need a light coat.

10.35pm: That’s us done for Day 4. That’s two nights on the trot where we’ve still been up after 10.30. Are we turning into party animals?

Probabaly not! . Sleep well, I know we will! . We have no plans whatsoever for tomorrow except that it’ll be a car-free day! Catch you Friday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 4 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 3 – Wednesday 11th March

Morning loyal reader! Welcome back to our adventures in Fuerteventura. Today’s is a relatively short one – a super-lazy day!

We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo,was back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the week is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

So far, we hadn’t seen much of the Carnival, but Paul & Sue discovered some related entertainment close to where we ate last night.

It was the ‘Crowning of the Grande Dame’ involving a lot of OTT costumes (that were, apparently, also very wide!). Tonight’s events are all kiddy-related, so we’ll be giving those a miss.

Back to today, and as I mentioned earlier, it’s a VERY lazy one planned!

“Another day in Paradise?” – especially if your idea of Paradise feels like living in a wind-tunnel! More positively, though, it’s another warmish one with no sign of rain!

9.25am: Our first activity of the day was walking the short distance to Breakfast. I know, it’s a tough life! It was busy there again (even though we were slightly later) and it’s clear, the Hotel is a popular destination. Same great service and the same extensive range of food choices on offer together with their very freindly service. Just like yesterday, it was a slow and relaxed first-meal-of-the-day and by the time we left at just after 10.30, we were the only ones left in the Restaurant.

11.25am: Time to follow the herd and find a spot around the pool. I had a fair bit of reading to catch up with, so that was perfect opportunity to combine the two. It was definitely a case of choose your spot wisely, as some areas were more hurricane-like than others, whereas other spots simply caught an occasional breeze. After a fair bit of experimentation, we didn’t find anywhere that was completely breeze-free (this is Fuertaventura, after all!), and in the end we settled for the area by the heated pool – it was almost deserted too!

In an instant (in spite of it being mostly a breeze-free zone) we realised why there was a lack of people – the daily Water Aerobics Class sprang into life nearby and the Instructors appeared to be looking for volunteers! Luckily, they didn’t spot us in the corner and the Class began. Oh joy!, I haven’t heard the infamous ‘Birdie Song’ at full volume since I was in my 30s. Oh joy!! . Fortunately, the music choice improved!!

And there we stayed for the next couple of hours. It turned out to be a good spot with plenty of sun reaching us with just the occasional waft of cool air.

1.30pm: That’s enough Vitamin D for the day! We headed back to the room, made a cuppa and then touched base with Sue, who’d just arrived back from catching up with their friend, Julie. We had a quick natter about eating options for tonight and agreed that it’ll be a Curry House or a Pizza! .

2.35pm: Ann and I then went in search of some retail therapy (Spanish style!)! This was the shortest of walks – out of the Hotel, turn right, short walk, turn right again, short walk… Done! We were now at Villa Comercial el Campanario, a small collection of retail spaces combined with some small eateries. We stopped at Cafe Bar Habana. It was all very Spanish and good to be out-and-about, just sitting and people watching!

We feasted on a couple of jam-laden croissants, helped along with two very nice coffees, all served with a smile! It was an opportunity to soak up a few more rays as the weather had now vastly improved, topping the forecast by a couple of degrees (a very welcome 21℃!) according to a nearby thermometer .

3.15pm: After a disappointing search for AA batteries in the nearby supermarket (a ‘hiper-dino’), we wandered back to the Hotel, had a quick natter with Paul & Sue who were enjoying the sunshine, and like us had found the perfect spot away from the random gusts of wind.

3.45pm: The shortest of siestas – “I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes”

4.55pm: Up and about, and time to get ready for tonight’s meal in town.

6.10pm: We popped around to Paul & Sue’s to finalise our eating choices. That was easy, decision made! – the first Curry House in the main drag towards town.

6.25pm We took the short walk towards the main strip, and there was The Tandoori Garden. It was already doing a good trade when we arrived, and they quickly pushed together two tables to accommodate us.

And the customers just kept on arriving! By the time we got our Starters, the place only had a single table left – surely a good sign! It certainly was!!! The food was delicious and plentiful

9.02pm: A great meal! Next stop? Next door at the Retro Rock & Roll Restaurant.

8.55pm: When we arrived just before 9pm, just like the Indian, it was already heaving inside, but they found us four a table right next to the stage. From a sound and vision point of view, it wasn’t ideal, but at least they got us in! To say this was a ‘themed Bar’ would be a massive understatement, as it sported highly professional murals and rock memorabilia around the walls. They poured a perfect Guinness, too, so it definitely got my vote!

9.30pm: The singer tonight was ‘Mel‘. Born in Belgium (but with an American accent) we learned that she was, by day, a Primary School Teacher. Personable too, as she easily got the audience on her side with her charm and banter – and musicianship. And what a vocal range too! .It was easy to see that her passion was for singing and performing live, and after the first couple of tracks, toes were already tapping as she received warm and genuine applause from all of us in the audience. Mel was clearly very talented and belted out numbers by Fleetwood Mac, Oasis, Abba, Aretha Franklyn, Whitney Houston and many others with complete confidence. And when I say ‘belted’, she didn’t just sing them with a backing track. Oh no, instead, she put her own spin on the compositions and simply supported herself on the guitar. An amazing set of lungs that surely deserves to be known more widely! Fuerteventura’s got talent!

10.05pm: Paul & Sue stayed for more of ‘Mel’s magic’ whilst we took the short walk back to the Hotel, leaving the Bar (and the town) still buzzing. Turning our heads to tomorrow, we’re back in the car, exploring the island. We’ve decided to head south to a Village called Betancuria – population: 801!

Betancuria is a historic, picturesque village in the mountainous interior of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404 by the French explorer, Jean de Béthencourt. As the island’s first capital until 1834, it is now a peaceful, tourist-oriented destination.

That sounds like fun! . If you follow in our footsteps, note that although it takes less than an hour to get there, the last section is very twisty! Enjoy!

10.45pm: Another late one for us! Nighty-night!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 3 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 2 – Tuesday 10th March

Morning all! Welcome back, and thanks for following my Blog!

We’re in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, here in Corralejo, was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and something unspeakable with sardines!  

Our home for this week is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

5.30am: Up with the lark this morning to see if the Hotel’s internet connection had improved (preventing me from posting last night). It hadn’t! The first hour was therefore spent trying various tethering configurations using my phone and tablet. Oh joy! Just what I didn’t expect! . By 6am, we were sorted, and Day 1, although late, made it to the webiverse.

8.45am: We took the short walk from 1105 to the main centre of activity – and brekky!

There was a slight chill in the air, but it was pleasant enough.

9.04am: First stop this morning was breakfast – and based on last night’s meal, expectations were high. We were earlier than planned, at just after 9, where we discovered the restaurant already very busy. Just like last night, there was plenty of choice, including a dozen different types of cereals, fresh fruit, doughnuts in various shapes and sizes (and colours!) and of course, for the Brits especially – the Full English. Featuring sausages that looked like sausages but didn’t quite taste the same (still delicious though!), fried or scrambled egg, the obligatory baked beans, fried tomatoes, but sadly, no black pudding (which I suspect got ‘lost in translation’). Toast, croissants with a wide selection of jams completed the menu together with ‘Continental’ for those wishing a lighter persuasion. Finally, fresh tea and a bean-to-cup coffee for the true lightweights!

10.35am: Well, that was leisurely, taking 90 minutes for breakfast! We must be on holiday!! The only downside? It was so busy, we were limited to a table right by the entrance door that was permanently open – and we experienced the famous local ‘breeze’, first hand!

The ‘planning committee’ met and our first full day was sorted . On the list for today:-

• Drive to El Cotillo
• Back to the Hotel
• A wander into Town
• Have a beer (or 5!)

11.45am: We agreed to meet in Reception before taking the short walk to where we’d left the car overnight. Today was also about attempting to locate the Hotel’s free and very secure car-park when we return.

El Cotillo

“El Cotillo is a charming fishing village located on the west coast of Fuerteventura, known for its stunning beaches and laid-back atmosphere”.

So, we took the 40 minute drive to El Cortillo. Again, I took the wheel and Sue did the navigating. It was another leisurely drive on the pothole-free route, taking us about 40 minutes tocover the 20 kms.

Initially, by way of experimentation, we simply drove from one end of the town to the other, just soaking up the views. Actually there was nothing spectacular to see, but it was good to see a blue (ish) sky and the Sun attempting to break through.

We then parked the car that required all my three-point-turn seventeen-point-turn skills (not easy in the ‘tank’!), but Sue was on the ball acting as wingman and preventing an insurance claim! Cheers Sue!

At this point, we had nowhere particular to visit in mind – a general ‘mooch’ – once we got into the town. It was warmer than the forecast, or it certainly felt that way. After a while, we then switched to ‘moochless mode’ with just a single place, recommended by Jo & Janet – El Goloso De Cotillo, located on the western tip of the island. It’s a coffee and cake outlet where legend has it, people queue around the block, especially for their coffee!

So, just our luck that today, of all days, their coffee machine was broken! . Still, the cake went down a treat!

2.29pm: As the shop said hello to the coffee repairman (who’d just arrive), we said our goodbyes and took a final wander around the Town taking in the views.

Weatherwise, it was very warm, punctuated by the stiffest of breezes that made us feel glad (and a bit smug) that we’d brought extra clothing – observing plenty of others in shorts and tee-shirts freezing their bits off!

I didn’t feel the Town had the most exciting of architectural designs, where BLUE was (maybe understandably) the predominant colour! Elsewhere, looking out to sea, the colour of the water was complemented by the whiteness of the waves crashing on the rocks. It was all dramatic stuff – an experience that inspires poets to put pen to paper or send ‘part-time’ swimmers scrambling back to the changing room!

2.15pm: Last on our exploration list today was the famous Castillo de El Toston (although it seems to be known by a few names). Plenty more information HERE but in short:-

• Recognised as an artistic monument in 1949
• Built on the ruins of another around 1700
• Two floors
• Similar structures to be found in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote
• Nowadays used as an exhibition space

Just time to stare at a skinny whale adjacent to the Tower and marvel at some of the brave swimmers.

2.32pm: We’re now all ‘cultured out’ (and more than a little wind-swept!), so it was back to the car and the journey back to base.

3.20pm: Just time for a short siesta before our walk into Town later.

An Evening in Corralejo

6.00pm: We took the 25-minute walk into the main drag that included the famous ‘Music Square’. As we got closer, you could feel the buzz of the Town as more and more (and more) people filled the streets, bars and restaurants. For us, we were in search of a good meal – and that was easy-peasy in these parts!

Restaurante Sotavento

6.31pm: We settled on ‘Restaurante Sotavento‘ – where we ate last time we were here. Whilst Paul & Sue chose ‘Seafood Paella’, Ann and I opted for the ‘Meat Grill’ plus a jug or two of Sangria.

Not surprisingly, the portion sizes were truly massive. In our case, enough carnivore creations to feed at least six people – maybe even eight!

Sue and I forced then down a dessert (it would have been rude NOT to!)

According to our Waiter, he made this himself – Mousso Del Golfio. I’d not heard of it before but it involved sugar, cream and lots of other banned substances. Err, ‘yes please!’. Officially it’s a traditional, creamy dessert originating from the Canary Islands, known for its unique, toasted flavour. It is made from gofio, a flour produced from toasted grains (usually wheat or millet). AllI know is that it went down a treat!

8.55pm: Time to settle up and head back to the Hotel. We left Paul & Sue to wander around the Town, whilst we took a slow walk back to the Hotel. Along the way, we took a few shots of Corralejo by moonlight…

9.55pm: That had been a very enjoyable wander back to base. In spite of the busy traffic, the numerous e-scooters and the dozens (and dozens) of people around, we felt perfectly safe, and it was easy to see why so many Brits come here time and time again for their holidays. Oh, and the food prices too! We enjoyed two jugs of Sangria, four Mains and two Desserts for 120 Euros (that worked out about £26 per head!)

10.15pm: All this eating and drinking has worn us out (I know: ‘poor loves‘!! ). Night-night . It’s another late, late Breakfast tomorrow! – see you Wednesday for our next instalment

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 2 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 1 – Monday 9th March

6.05am: Morning readers! A lie in (or sorts) this morning as it’s the first day of our holiday

We’re off to Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together like this, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we had timed our break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. You can read more about the Carnival itself HERE.

For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and something nasty that involves sardines!

8.35am: We left on time and headed for Paul & Sue’s.

9.15am: We said goodbye to Rothwell and after some, (ahem!) ‘experimentation’ with packing our luggage, we pointed the car in the direction of Birmingham Airport and EasyJet flight EZY6611. We had plenty of time, and it already felt like we were on holiday as, for a change, we weren’t in a rush.

If all goes to plan, we fly at 1.30pm, arriving at 5.45pm, local time. For once, there’s no time difference at our destination, which felt weird (and I’m sure there was an hour’s difference last time??) . We were soon joining the world and all its wives on the A14, but in spite of the time of day and it being a Monday, we had a hassle-free journey arriving just before 10am – 45 minutes was pretty good going!. With the car safely ‘meeted and greeted, we took the short walk to the Terminal.

With the bag-tagging machine, for once, behaving itself, we were soon heading for Departures. Since last flying from Birmingham, they’ve installed whizzy new security scanning technology – where there’s no requirement to remove any ‘tech’ for inspection, there are no restrictions on liquids, and their scanners are the ‘full body’ type. That suggested, the process should be quicker and smoother, but guess what? Yikes! The area was packed with people – and it certainly wasn’t a queue-free experience! As a result, it took us a while to get through, not helped by my laptop bag arousing their interest.

11.22am: Ten minutes later, with all the contents being signed-off as ‘passed’ we weaved our way through the legion of parfumery staff in Duty-free (and their free spray samples) to finally make it to the pre-boarding area where we joined P & S who skillfully, had somehow leapfrogged us, whilst queuing at Security. I’m not quite sure of the collective noun for ‘sprayers of scent’ – maybe it’s ‘new essence’ (nuisance?).

I digress!

11.30am: With an hour-or-so to kill before boarding, we joined the rest of Warwickshire doing the same – reading, writing, drinking and eating – and of course hoping and praying (given the current global conflict affecting many flights) that their flight wouldn’t be cancelled. Looks like those with Doha in mind were to be disappointed! . Again!!

Time to chill out before the gate is called. Looking ahead to our week ahead, the weather forecast in the area wasn’t exactly ‘scorchio’, but in reality, it was already 10°C warmer than Kettering, so that was a plus!

I’m sure we’ll make the most of it

12.40pm: Huzzah! Our flight was called, and we headed for the ‘holding pen‘ lounge. Capacity of the Lounge = 100, number of passengers =150+

1.33pm: We’re flying! See you on the other side. Oh good! A group of beer-swilling Brits testing their shouting capacity! Welcome to EasyJet!! . Actually, apart from ‘the lads with large lungs’ it was a good flight. We all think that the budget carriers have upped their game in recent years – great customer service, clear announcements and what looked like a newish plane. There’s still some work to do with the seats that were clearly crafted from the hardest substance known to man – recycled ironing boards – and EasyJet had opted for the NON-recline version, but we coped… just… but I wouldn’t wanted to have been on a flight that was any longer!

5.47pm: Hello Fuerteventura!

6.00pm: After retrieving our bags in an almost deserted baggage area, we then headed for the car hire desk. Our company of choice? Top Car. All I can say is it’s a good job they aren’t called Fast Car! The process took absolutely ages – and we’d pre-booked online too!. And then, just when the paperwork was completed, we had to walk to another of their buildings to actually pick up the car!

Our chariot of choice was an almost brand new (ish) Skoda Kodiaq – but the 7 seater variant! It was almost the size of a Sherman Tank, meaning it swallowed our luggage with ease. After a quick review of the essential switches, and copious photos to prove it wasn’t us that scratched it, we were on our way. With me behind the wheel and Sue navigating, we took the silky smooth road to our destination. Maybe the locals had heard that I was driving – and stayed at home – but we didn’t encounter much traffic where, twenty-five minutes later, it was now dark, as we arrived at the Hotel.

7.30pm: Our home for the coming week is the Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) each, Bed & breakfast for the duration of our stay. Check-in was a detailed experience and carried out with a smile. We were flagging a bit, but first impressions were VERY favourable!

It was now pitch black outside – cue phone torches – and the few pictures I took couldn’t capture a real feel for the place (more of that tomorrow).

7.45pm: The Restaurant closed at 9pm, so we needed to get a wriggle on. Time to simply dump our stuff and find the nearest beer! . It was then that we discovered the flaw in our recent ‘detailed check-in’ – we hadn’t been shown how to operate the electronic door keys. What could possibly go wrong?!?! . With four of the finest minds in Northamptonshire on the case, we finally cracked the sequence. How we laughed! Not!

On the other side of the door was a very pleasant surprise. There’s ‘large’ and ‘large’ – and then there was our room. ‘Spacious’ doesn’t describe it! It was all very well-appointed with everything we needed! .With Paul & Sue next door in a mirror-image version of our layout, we were perfectly placed.

Food was calling, but more especially BEER. We had originally thought of also doing some planning for the days ahead, but our day was catching up with us, so we postponed any further brain work until tomorrow (I think we’d used up most of it, figuring out how to open our Apartment door! . Corrajevo is a popular destination for the Brits and luckily, Janet & Jo had made a similar trip earlier this year and Ann had tapped into their experiences a few days ago to create a shortlist .

8.05pm: The Restaurant punched well above its weight both in service and variety – tonight was Mexican themed, and there’s a different theme each night. At 16 Euros (c£14 each)Tuesday 10 March 2026, it was AMAZING value. The Staff were great, and the variety of food and its presentation were impressive. I think we’re going to love it here!

9.15pm: That’s us done for the day. We left our friends to continue their evening, whilst we headed back to Room 1105 to unpack.

10.33pm: Nighty-night! It’s been a late one for us and we’re shattered. Next stop? Breakfast at 9.30 tomorrow!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 1 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Here we are in Cyprus! We’re here for a week, where the main event is the marriage of Sean and Kellie this coming Thursday! What follows is a much briefer account than my usual Posts (‘hooray!’ say some!) as I took the decision to travel light and leave the laptop behind and attempted to record the whole experience using my phone!

Saturday

10.40am: We shared a taxi to Luton Airport with Clive and Carole. Russell was our driver and being an experienced ex-HGV driver, we made steady and safe progress towards Luton Airport.

2.00pm: That’s our plane! In less than 5 hours we’ll be in Paphos!

9.15pm: We’re now two hours ahead of home. Our coach awaits!

All aboard!

10.30pm: Scorchio (still) !

10.10pm: Hello Mayfair Hotel. A warm welcome awaited us, together with a bag of sandwiches, cake and fruit!

Nice room! ‘354’ was to be our home for the next week.

Nicer Internet!!

11.45am: Nighty night!

Sunday

Morning folks!

7.02am: The view from 354 – some towels already on the loungers! No Germans in sight though!

9.02am: Off to Breakfast

A massive dining area where it could seat most of Cyprus!! . After breakfast, a relaxed day ahead!

First, a wander around the Hotel complex.

Another day in Paradise? You decide!

Then, off to the Harbour, on foot.

11.30am: A very pleasant wander in the sunshine!

The walk brought back some lovely memories of the last time we were here. Older memories were quickly replaced by new ones – and the sight of an ice-cream van! But before the obligatory ’99’, a sit down and a drink nearby.

12.45pm: Last time we sat here was back in November, 2022 with Paul & Sue.

1.14pm: Next, a visit to the famous Archaeological Site…

Good to see these amazing mosaics again… Free admission today too! (First Sunday in the month across the EU?)

2.55pm: Well, that was worth a look! Next? The promised ‘Mr Whippy’ ice-cream all around before deciding that we wouldn’t walk back – we’d take the Bus instead. Word to the wise! The Buses only accept cash out here (€2 each!) – no plastic! Twenty minutes later, the ‘610’ dropped us nearby, and we were back in our room, ready for a siesta.

Mrs P, Carole, John and Clive

6.05pm: A few hours of shut-eye and we’re ready to take on the world! (Well, not quite, but almost!). Next stop: The Bar and then the Restaurant. Did I mention it’s all inclusive here?

7.05pm: A quick visit to the Bar before joining the rest of the group for a catch-up. Then it was into the (very busy!) Restaurant for our evening meal. It was impressive! An amazing selection of food and service levels that ‘punched well above their weight’!

After the meal, we headed for a quieter part of the Hotel with Clive and Carole and caught up with our reading.

Trish joined us later for a natter.

10.05pm: Other ‘Party Animals’ were still partying, but for us, that’s it for another night!

Monday

Morning!!

A super-lazy one today, as our next ‘official’ event isn’t until lunchtime! Time to find the pool!

“Hooray, it’s the Daily Aquarobics Class” shouted absolutely no-one!

9.45am: We sat around the pool catching up with our reading and wondering how the three employees felt with absolutely ZERO interest from the inmates!?!? (We learned they do this routine every day at 10!)

12.30pm: Sadly missing the aerobic opportunity, later Geoff & Rhonda picked us up, and it was back to theirs for Lunch!

Nice view from their Apartment!

3.00pm: Northants Nutters – Cypriot Division!

4.15pm: After a gorgeous Lunch outside, We headed off to ‘Sense‘ a well-known Bar/Restaurant in nearby Kissonergas for a quick drink with a sea view! Fantastic!!

We couldn’t have been much closer to the sea!

5.25pm: Wow! That was good! Geoff & Rhonda then dropped us back at our Hotel.

9.45pm: Knackered!!

Tuesday

6.05am: Welcome to Tuesday! I call this one ‘Moon over Beach Towels’…

9.05am: The day would turn out to be a surprising and unplanned one. No details here, but it reshaped the rest of our week (again, not documented here)

12.35pm: We grabbed a quick bite to eat back at the Hotel, and then it was time for a quick walk.

1.25pm: A short wander around the local area to make the best of the weather (rain is coming!).

2.20pm:

4.35pm: Ahh, we both needed that – time to get ready for tonight. Another themed night awaits!

8.01pm: Our evening meal in the Hotel – strangely quiet tonight, even though it was Cypriot Night and the food selection was fantastic!!

9.05pm: A chill-out with Ann and Carole, just off Reception, whilst the ‘youngsters’ went out on the town for an extra ‘Hen Night’! I had a feeling it’ll be the boys’ turn tomorrow night! .

We steered clear of the main Bar area simply because (warning: old bloke alert) of the volume of the performers/music. Ever since we got here, the evening performances have always been on the super-loud side – and too much for these vintage ears. Last night’s ‘Freddie Mercury Tribute Act’ was SO loud, we could pick out the tunes – and we were three floors away, tucked up in bed!

9.35pm: again – it’s my age!

Wednesday

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

11.05am: Today, we met up with Geoff & Rhonda again, although the weather looked like it might limit our outdoor activities!

11.23am: First stop was Coral Bay and a lovely Bar/Eatery close to the water, helpfully called ‘Corralia Beach Restaurant’.

Nice bollards, nice flower-pot and nice wheelie-bin, but best of all – a great beach!

12.25pm: Fab! We then headed for Latchi.

1.25pm: We parked up and wandered around the Harbour area. Today, it was almost deserted (we think mainly down to the damp weather!).

1.45pm: ‘Faros‘ for Lunch!

I chose ‘traditional’ and picked ‘Stefado’ – one of the beefiest beef dishes I’d eaten in a long while!

3.15pm: As we headed back to the car, we all agreed that it had been a great lunch.

4.32pm: Back at the Hotel, we said our goodbyes to G & R. It had been a great day where we’d also managed to dodge the occasional shower too!

Just time for a short ‘feet up’ before heading downstairs and the Asian themed night in the Restaurant.

8.15pm: Yummy food again tonight!

9.45pm: A big day tomorrow! Beauty sleep needed!

Thursday

Morning all! No pre-placed beach towels! What’s going on!

Here we go..! . Today’s THE day! Sean & Kellie’s Wedding at 3.30pm.

Thankfully, the weather held!

Nicely ‘scrubbed up!’

3.35pm: After a slightly scary open-top bus journey through the town to the venue, we arrived at L’Chateau (not a typo!)

It was a beautiful location, a lovely event, and although the photography was challenging, everyone had a great time and lifelong memories were made!

The Service was pretty standard except, perhaps, for the distribution of bottled beer by semi-dancing Groomsmen to the congregation before the Bride’s arrival. An unusual riff on the ‘usual’ practice! Still, it saved queueing at the Bar and we were missing ‘Strictly’!

A unique Service followed, with very strict controls by the (equally strict) Wedding Planner. She continued her unique management style throughout the unfolding event with bags of enthusiasm and determination! Ad-hoc photographs were discouraged, and even when we ‘snuck one in’ the lighting (too bright, with the Sun in the ‘wrong place’ plus a lot of artificial bulb lighting in the darker areas) made it almost too challenging for a mere camera phone!

A rare shot! But wait! Is that the Photo Police at the door!?!?

Best of all, as the Cypriot Sun set, during the excellent sit-down meal that followed all the subsequent speeches were very heartfelt. As the evening wore on, even more memories were forged – especially on the dance floor. A few were almost traumatic!

Fashions varied: from the more traditional to the more practical (given the heat). Above, one of us is clearly illustrating taking full advantage of the Hotel’s ‘all inclusive’ meal deals (clue: it’s NOT Mrs P!)

Most memorable event? In the closing hour of the celebration, we were all ‘treated’ to a short and impromptu re-enactment from the final scenes of the film: The Full Monty – a pseudo strip by a few of the wedding guests (that also just fell short of an excellent charade of the film ‘Free Willy’! ).

The karaoke hour also made stars of a few who we didn’t expect to go anywhere near the microphone! Thankfully, the Cyprus nation was spared from The Palmer’s legendary ‘prog rock/disco/heavy metal’ interpretation of ‘Climb every Mountain’! due simply to lack of time and a queue for the mike (yeah right!). The impromptu ‘singing’ of those that did, was all part of the fun as other family and friends jostled for the best camera angle to capture this one-off event!

00.05am: And in a flash (see what I did there!), we were soon boarding the coach for another truly terrifying trip along the roads of Paphos. A combination of the driver being a reincarnation of Stirling Moss and the mostly deserted Cypriot roads ensured that our next conversation was either going to be to God (for forgiveness) or the Guinness Book of Records (for a land-speed attempt). Yikes! I can honestly say, it was one of those rare occasions where it was probably better to be drunk! . Some were better prepared than others!

00.35am: Wow! What a night! Congrats you two! Whilst a few hardy souls headed for the Hotel Bar for a top up, we opted for bed! Nighty-night!

Friday

6.45am: Morning all! Our last full day here! . Neither of us suffered any after-effects from last night’s ‘super late’ one (well, it was late for US!)

They’re on the Loungers early this morning!

Weather-wise? More of the same! But once outside, it felt hotter, much hotter!

After breakfast, we headed for the Tombs of the Kings partly by Bus (No. 603), but we walked the last mile, it was now much more humid than any other day since we arrived.

11.15am: A very misleading sign!

Well, that was all a bit underwhelming! Tombs of the Kings? Actually, by their own admission on the first information board, there’s no evidence that any Kings are buried here! . In short, a bunch of caves, mostly resembling a mausoleum. On a positive front, it was just €2.50 each to get in, and the views out to sea were impressive! Still VERY hot though!!

11.55am: We headed back to Paphos Harbour by way of the 615 to the Bus Station and then the 611.

12.25pm: On arrival, the obligatory stop for some ice-cream beckoned. We complied!

Now suitably cooler, we headed for the Harbour and took the short walk in the direction of the Castle.

Successfully dodging the numerous restaurateurs eager to temp us in, we got to ‘the end’ to find they’ve ‘added a bit’ to the Harbour since were last here, stretching further around the coast – all courtesy of an EU Grant!

12.55pm: Well, that ‘extra piece’ was a pleasant surprise, as we picked a seat and soaked up the Sun… and the view!

Heading back, we took the 610 that stopped close to the Hotel.

1.15pm: Just time for a quick one

1.45pm: A short siesta!

6.30pm: We met up with Tom & Julie in the Bar.

8.02pm: An evening meal with Carole. Oo-la-la, it was French Night!!!

9.45pm: Shattered!!

Saturday – Heading home!

Bye-bye Paphos and the Mayfair Hotel! It’s been fun! Paphos Airport? Not so much! Totally rammed from the moment we arrived until the moment we (eventually) boarded.

2.53am: Sunday – Back to reality! We’re home to a cold and foggy UK!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Passion in Paphos appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 22 — Saturday, 23rd August
Azamara Holiday – Summary

Phew! As promised, here’s a summary of our holiday, which includes links to all my daily Posts.

We spent it with great mates, Ralph and Karen, taking in Canada, Greenland and Iceland.

Thanks for your readership, comments and feedback – it was great fun recording our travels for you.

Daily Posts

Iceland

Day 21 – Even More Akureyri Friday, 22nd August

Day 20 – More Akureyri Thursday, 21st August

Day 19 – Akureyri, Iceland Wednesday, 20th August

Day 18 – Heading for Iceland Tuesday, 19th August


Greenland

Day 17 – Prince Christian Sound, Greenland – NOT! Monday, 18th August

Day 16 – Qaqortoq, Greenland Sunday, 17th August

Day 15 – No Go Paamiut, Greenland Saturday, 16th August

Day 14 – Sisimiut, Greenland Friday, 15th August

Day 13 – NOT Nuuk, Greenland Thursday, 14th August

Days 10/11/12 – Next stop, Greenland! Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, 11-13th August

Canada

Day 9 – Havre St Pierre, Quebec Sunday, 10th August

Day 8 – At Sea Saturday, 9th August

Day 7 – Saguenay, Quebec Friday, 8th August

Day 6 – More of Quebec City Thursday, 7th August

Day 5 – Quebec City (1st Day) Wednesday, 6th August

Day 4 – All Aboard! Tuesday, 5th August

Day 3 – Montreal (2nd Day) Monday, 4th August

Day 2 – Montreal (1st Day) Sunday, 3rd August

Day 1 – Montreal Bound! Saturday, 2nd August

There’s been total of 986 reads so far!
(as at Saturday 23 August 2025)

Update: Tuesday 2 September 2025 = now 1094 reads! Thank you!

Photo Reel is HERE

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Azamara Holiday – Summary appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 21 — Friday, 22nd August
Even More Akureyri!

Morning all! . Welcome to our BIG Holiday of 2025 – and our last day exploring Iceland! We’re with great mates, Ralph and Karen, having conquered Canada, and grappled with Greenland‘s weather! . Even MORE Akureyri? Can there be anything left to see here?*

Click for our (mostly accurate) itinerary…

*Of course there is! This is a modern city with museums, retail outlets for every occasion and a wide range of eateries. For us though, today was a fairly relaxed itinerary (by our standards!) . We began the day with plans to complete the famous ‘Diamond Circle‘ route visiting the famous Godafoss Falls (we simply ran out of time yesterday). Yes, it’s another Waterfall, but we’re told it’s worth it! But before all that – Breakfast!

Final Breakfast in Iceland

8.05am: We were all ahead of our planned 9am breakfast. When we got to the breakfast area, it looked like the locusts had landed! Apparently, a pre-planned party of 60 (yes, 60!) had just finished breakfast – and decimated the Buffet! Cue a few embarrassed staff who rallied round, moved us to a different room and set about replenishing the food!

If you want to read more about yesterday’s adventures, covering the rest of the route, click HERE.

9.10am: After saying goodbye to the Centrum Hotel (great service, great food, very basic accommodation) we headed by car to our next impressive location.

Godafoss Falls

10.15am: Goðafoss is another waterfall in northern Iceland. It is located along the country’s main ring road at the junction with the Sprengisandur highland road, about 45 minutes from Akureyri. The water of the river Skjálfandafljót falls from a height of around 12 metres over a width of 30 metres. A 1.8-mile hiking trail also loops around the waterfall area, but maybe that’s for next time!!

By comparison with yesterday’s Dettifoss Falls, this one’s a lot smaller, but in its own way, no less impressive – maybe more so.

11.05am: Coffee Break as there was plenty more to see.

12.02pm: There was even more to see from the other side after walking across the small bridge . And if the ‘first half’ was impressive in terms of the views, the ‘other side’ was just as jaw dropping!

We liked the fact you could view the waterfall from multiple angles (great for photos and just plain looking), and even the terrain there and back was much more shoe-friendly! The coffee was good and they also had a gift shop! We liked it! We liked it a lot!!

If you only have time for ONE waterfall in these parts, I’d say this is the one! But do use the loo before you arrive as it’s a cheeky 200ISK (c£1.20) for even a wee! .

Back on the road

12.57pm: We’re all ‘waterfalled out!’. We headed back in the direction of Akureyri with two things on our mind – food and petrol.

1.40pm: Back in Akureyri, we were sorted!

2.25pm: Now for the savoury course! We returned to Bautinn (where we’d eaten when we first arrived a few days ago). They gave us the same table too!

That was yummy! (19943ISK = £120.87)

3.35pm: Suitably stuffed and a little poorer, we left for the Airport and returned the car to Avis.

Back on the Plane!

3.55pm: Tomorrow, we head home, but we’re not quite done yet. Today, it was back on the plane for an internal flight to take us to the Aurora Hotel in Keflavik. The trip was to get us closer to the Airport in readiness for our flight home on Saturday.

Flight F147 left on time at 4.45pm and landed just under 40 minutes later in Reykjavik. We were soon heading for the Aurora Airport Hotel, for a sleepover in readiness for our longer trip back to Heathrow tomorrow at 10am. Ronaldo was our driver, from Croatia, and he proudly showed-off his newly acquired Tesla Model Y with all its ‘whistles and bells’. It was a hassle-free journey, but I think by now we were all beginning to feel our long day catching up with us!

Hotel Sleepover

6.35pm: We arrived to a windy, cold and foggy weather! In fact, it was foggy pretty much the whole trip. We were quite surprised at how different the weather was compared with the bright blue skies and warm temperature we enjoyed at the Falls earlier in the day. We were soon checked in and beginning the process of unpacking.

Well, this was very nicely decorated. Very modern, and where the whole place had a sense of newness about it. By now, we were pretty much done in, but there’s always room for a beer and cake (or both!) and we all met up the the Hotel’s Restaurant – Aura – for a quick nibble.

7.15pm: With drinks all around, the Tiramasu Cake and the Lava Cake with Whipped Cream went down a treat! . I now need sleep!

Tomorrow…

We’re back on another plane. This time, we’re heading home, landing at Heathrow. We arrive back in Blighty, just three hours later – just after 2pm, and then it’s round on the Tube to St Pancras before grabbing to train to Kettering. Back to earth with a bang, ehh!

9.00pm: That’s it, we’re both done in. I’ll pull together a summary of the holiday tomorrow when my brain is functioning! . Nighty night!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 21 – Even More Akureyri appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 20 — Thursday, 21st August
Sightseeing around Akureyri

Morning All! Welcome to our BIG Holiday of 2025! With Canada and Greenland completed, our final hop is here in the north of Iceland – in Akureyri.

Click for where we’ve been and what’s left to see…

In a first for us eating Breakfast abroad, in amongst the continental staples of ham, cheese, peppers and tomatoes were… Custard Creams! . Maybe it’s a local custom?

8.35am: After a rather hurried breakfast (that obviously included the nutritional Custard Creams!), we all met in Reception, ready for the off! We were prepared for an Arctic Expedition – midge hats, thick coats, umbrellas, beanies and scarves.

Akureyri

This was our first FULL day in Akureyri (population c20000), where today was all about the local SIGHTS. After taking advice from the local Tourist Information Centre yesterday, we planned to drive around the famous ‘Diamond Circle’ route. Read more about it HERE. We may not follow it exactly, but it’ll give us a good feel for this part of the country.

It’s a long trip – some 250 km (150 miles) in total, and we’re heading clockwise, but deliberately leaving out the famous Godafoss Waterfall until tomorrow.

As we only made the decision about exploring this route yesterday, so we needed to get back to the Airport to rent a car. In spite of the extra hike, it made perfect financial sense, as an equivalent guided tour would have been much more expensive – and we’re still getting used to the prices here! .

Our Transport of Choice

With Ralph as designated driver and an almost brand new, Kia Sportage, we were ready!

The Route to Husavik

What a great start! Stunning vistas all the way, punctuated by the occasional low cloud and sea mist.

Husavik

12.01pm: We arrived in this beautiful town with the Sun shining, but with the sea mist rolling in, the situation looked ominous. Home to around 25000 people, Húsavík is known as the whale-watching capital of Iceland – if not Europe – and the oldest settlement in Iceland. There’s also a Whale Museum here too (thanks, Nicki!)

Plenty of activity here with many boats on their way out for a spot of Whale Watching!

12.12pm: Meanwhile, turning a full 180°, we spotted coffee and cake nearby!

The cake won our affections. Why? It was still quite misty out to sea, and we weren’t confident we’d see any Whales!

What a pretty place Húsavík was! It reminded us of Cornwall. Next stop? The not-shown-on-the-map tongue-twisty…

Oxarfjardarfur Point

1.11pm: This one is not on the map, as such, but is a well-known ‘local secret’ (obviously, not now!). Oxarfjardarfur Point provides breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding landscape, where rugged cliffs meet expansive beaches. More significantly, there was a (small) chance of seeing Puffins nesting here!

But to compensate for the puffin-less and whale-less view, a little to the right was…

Well, that was disappointing, but perhaps not completely unexpected, given the time of year.

Between Oxarfjardarfur and Ashbyrgi

The mist had now receded, leaving us with a bright, sunny day.

Ásbyrgi Canyon

2.11pm: Ásbyrgi is a glacial canyon and forest. The horseshoe-shaped depression is part of the Vatnajökull National Park and measures approximately 3.5 km in length and over 1 km wide.

We missed the Visitor Centre and kept driving. The road got narrower, but it was worth it, for the photographs.

Enormous!!

We looped back to drop into the Visitor Centre but Coffee from a vending machine and a small picture exhibition made it the shortest of stays . We’re not sure what this place offered in relation to the Canyon itself.

Dettifoss Falls

3.01pm: We were making good time.

Dettifoss Falls, as the name suggests, is a waterfall. Located in Vatnajökull National Park (the largest NP in Iceland). The falls are 100 metres (330 ft) wide and have a drop of 44 metres (144 ft) down to the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur. Depending on who you speak with, it’s either the most powerful waterfall in Europe or the second most powerful.

As we arrived, the car-park was already pretty busy. And if that wasn’t an indication of popularity, it also had the largest collection of public toilets (12) we’ve seen anywhere in Iceland. Their exterior was neat and tidy whilst inside, their workings were ‘down to earth’ – literally! Yuk!

Take your walking shoes as the terrain is as rugged as it gets! . Thoughts of the song ‘Walkiing on the Moon‘ by The Police instantly sprang to mind. Bags of opportunity for a twisted ankle (or both!)

It took us about 30 minutes to get to the Falls – but it was worth it! We wimped out and chose the ‘viewing platform’ route (easier!), but for the more adventurous, there’s a ‘closeup route’ to enjoy too!

Lake Myvatn

5.01pm: Our final stop today.

Lake Myvatn is a volcanic lake. On the northeastern shore, Reykjahlíð, the nearby village has an information centre and is a base for exploring the area. Eastwards, Mývatn Nature Baths features a naturally heated man-made lagoon, with mineral-rich waters known for their health-giving properties. Today, for us though, just a short photo opportunity.

6.05pm: Time to head back, and to speed things up we took a shortcut – the Tunnel. Opened in 2018, after much delay, it cost about £12 as a toll, but saved us about 30 minutes in travel time.

…and just over an hour later, we were back at our Hotel reflecting on what a great day we’d had.

Exhausted, for simplicity, we ate in the Hotel.

Tomorrow…

We’re aiming to complete our Diamond Circle route – and drive to Godafoss Falls, before heading for the Airport and back to Reykjavik.

See you Friday!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 20 – More Akureyri appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 19 — Wednesday, 20th August
Akureyri, Iceland

Morning all! Welcome to Wednesday! We said goodbye to the Azamara Quest at some unGodly hour this morning as we headed for disembarkation in Reyjavik, Iceland.

Reykjavík

5.32am: We’ve arrived! Reykjavik has a population of around 140000 and is the capital city of Iceland.

The port was busy! – even at this early hour with two Cruise Ships already docked, including our next door neighbour, the massive ‘Mein Schiff 3.

Click for our (mostly correct) itinerary…

8.10am: After a slightly torturous wait for Iceland Immigration to get themselves ready, we were soon ‘officially’ through and into Iceland, where our pre-booked Taxi was waiting. It was a bright, crisp morning as Huginn, our driver, whisked us through the light Reykjavík traffic. That short journey brought back memories of our similar trip back in March 2017 when we were here celebrating Ann’s Birthday.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at Reykjavik Domestic Airport with plenty of time to spare.

8.26am: After we’d taken out a bank loan for our 4 coffees (almost £20) we nattered away the next hour-or-so before checking in.

Next Stop – Akureyri!

Checking-in was relatively straightforward, although there was some confusion by the staff as to whether we were too early. Eventually, they completed all the necessary bits and bobs and we headed for the Departure Lounge. Then, after 20 minutes, we were asked to leave so they could close it! All very confusing! .

In spite of the somewhat chaotic nature in the Airport, it IS the smartest way to get to Akureyri. It’s one of the shortest flights I’ve ever been on – just 35 minutes, whereas the alternative would have been about a 5 hour drive by car (241 miles!).

11.05am: We’re off!

Akureyri

11.55am: With its population of just over 20000, Akureyri is considered their ‘second city’. You’d never know it based on their size of the Airport though! Just ONE conveyor belt for incoming luggage made it all a bit of a squeeze. However, more positively, it didn’t take long to retrieve our cases.

As we exited the Airport, we noticed the drop in the temperature and we were all glad we hadn’t packed our outdoor coats away. We headed for the designated taxi rank (that was empty!) and hoped that we wouldn’t have to wait too long. Lucky us, as within 10 minutes we were packing our bags in the SUV.

Accommodation

We’re staying in the Centrum Hotel in Akureyri a modest affair near the port and the main shopping area.

12.35pm: Check in time was 4pm, so we dumped our bags and took the opportunity to soak up some of the immediate sights.

There’s certainly plenty to see here – and quite a few eateries too!

12.59pm: Using the rest of our bank loan, we stopped off at Bautinn for a spot of Lunch. The food was excellent and well presented, but weighing in at £124 for two burgers, two tacos plus three beers, it was a stark reminder that food IS expensive out here.

Making Plans

With only two full days here, we wanted to make the most of the time – and we had Whales and Puffins on our mind. Cue a short walk to the local Tourist Information Office.

The Hof is the Cultural and Conference Centre here, and it was easy to spot. Inside, we were soon chatting to the very helpful staff on the Information Desk who responded enthusiastically to our thoughts about ‘seeing the sights’. Although Puffin sightings might be in doubt (best time is apparently June and July) we remain optimistic (ish)… less so about sighting Whales though!

We were also pointed in the direction of the Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus (No. 5 or No. 6), literally a 1-minute walk from where we were. Shock horror! As we prepared a second bank loan, we learned that it was completely free. Result!!

It showed Iceland’s landscape to be rugged and sparse but you have to LOVE the heart-shaped red stop signs on their traffic lights.

3.35pm: After a complete loop of the area by Bus (about 25 minutes), we took the chance that we might be able to check-in early. It paid off, and we were soon in our rooms.

OK, our stop for the next few nights might be basic, but we noticed their vibrant ‘Bar scene’ and their kitchen seemed to be quite busy too, looking after the food orders! . Happy Hour from 4-6pm may have helped!

Tomorrow…

We’re off on the well-known Diamond Circle Route. We’ll be up at silly o’clock, racing back to the airport to hire a car and then following the map below. We may not get time to see everything, but we plan to give it a try!

See you Thursday!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 19 – Akureyri, Iceland appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 18 — Tuesday, 19th August
Heading for Iceland

6.05am: Morning all! It’s Tuesday and a grey and foggy one out there, where the radar puts us about halfway between Greenland and Iceland. We’re doing a comfortable 15 knots, but there’s a bit of a swell on! .

Click for our (almost accurate) itinerary…

This final part of our Cruise has just 350 miles (ish) to cover before we reach Reykjavik Skarfabakki Cruise Terminal – and then our Cruise is over! (boo!) but the holiday isn’t (yay!). We then jump on a plane and head north to Akureyri.

So, today is another sea day! . Ang guess what? We’re told there’s a high chance we’ll see Whales! . In fact, we had to wait until our visit to the Italian Restaurant – Aqualina, tonight – before we spotted a Humpback off the stern! (that’s my third sighting, this holiday)

All at Sea (for the last time!)

We’ve got a plan to keep us busy on this final day… First it’s the Presentations…

Forensic DNA – The Search for Jack the Ripper

10.00am: The whole ship had been looking forward to this one! Because of the extra sea days, this part had been postponed, so the anticipation was high for Dr. Hal Tinberg’s final presentation. We left with lots of information we didn’t already know about this infamous series of crimes from 1888. Current thinking is that Jack the Ripper was a WOMAN!

Animals in Iceland

11.00am: Dr Ron Orenstein returned for his final session. As usual, it was packed with information. Today’s ‘top tip’? Don’t call an Icelandic Pony – a Pony! It’s an Icelandic HORSE.

Now the necessary, but boring bit….

12.10pm: The final piece of paperwork to get us to where we’re going was checking in for tomorrow. It was completely pain-free and completed in minutes.

The Final Booze

5.00pm: Our last visit to the ‘Land of the Piña Coladas‘ aka the Piano Bar aka the Atlas Bar.

The Final Posh

6.05pm: Posh Restaurant time! . This was our fifth visit here during the Cruise, and it didn’t disappoint (again!)

Wow! What a meal!!

We’ve got any early start tomorrow! Breakfast at 6.30am with Ralph & Karen before saying goodbye to the Azamara Quest. An early night was called for!

Azamara – Was it Amazing??

Phew! We’ve seen a lot, eaten a lot, drunk even more – and we can feel we have! The diet begins next Monday!

So, what did we think of Azamara as a cruise experience? We can only base it on this one, our most recent trip, but in short: ‘excellent’.

Those of you who know us well know that we’ve seen quite a few cruises in our 40+ years together – and Ann, who was cruising before we met, has even more ‘deck plans under her belt’.

It’s easy to get cynical about the whole ‘cruise thing’ – captive audience, food quantity v quality, expensive excursions etc, but in many ways, Azamara Quest has broken the mould for us. Pretty much everything they did was a few notches above our expectations. Specifically, the food, the overall quality of entertainment, the enrichment lectures and most importantly, the all-you-can-slurp, ‘Mr Whippy’ ice-cream machine . More seriously and more broadly, communication – the big and small stuff – was delivered clearly and in a timely fashion. Above all of that, and most satisfying of all, was the whole staff attitude thing – executed, in our eyes, genuinely and consistently! The result? The ship felt more like a large family with the ship’s officers, the staff, the entertainers, and the singers all genuinely looking like they were the best of friends – and we were included. A really nice touch!

Some things don’t change though. For one, the internet speed at sea! In spite of Azamara Quest using the latest ‘Starlink’ satellites to provide the service, it was as intermittent as ever. OK, it’s not a massive issue if you’re in true ‘holiday mode’ and just posting the occasional Facebook pic or checking emails, but for sad buggers like me, a better quality and more consistent coverage was anticipated. Sadly, it was all a bit hit-and-miss. There’s an option to pay even more to provide a higher speed – but 10 times ‘very poor’ is still, err, ‘poor’! Consequently, we remained on the lower-tier package throughout the trip, where at best we saw 10Mb/sec down and at worst, slightly less than 1 up. Really? This is 2025, not 1995! At the time of writing, only a single device can be connected at any one time, which presented its own set of challenges for this Blogger (getting the photographs from the phone to the laptop was always an interesting and time-consuming past-time). The good news is that future bookings will allow TWO devices on the same connection, and I also hear they might be making the basic Wi-Fi package FREE. Oh joy! That’ll make things even more congested .

Elsewhere, putting technology to one side, the cost of this-and-that is much more straightforward with Azamara Cruises! Their business model is that pretty much everything is included in the price you’ve paid. It’s therefore perfectly possible to eat and/or drink yourself into oblivion and not spend a bean over and above the cost of the initial booking and the basic Wi-Fi. Yes, that was us!!

The destinations for this Cruise were what really attracted us. We’ve now learned that Greenland is a fragile location with regard to the weather – and our three cancelled ‘stops’ were testament to that, where we also learned that previous visits had been similarly affected. Given that Mother Nature will always win, we can’t help but ask whether Greenland is a viable destination, long-term. No traveller wants their itinerary chopped and changed, and it’s not good business sense for Azamara to have to keep refunding guests for those missed opportunities. No doubt, it’s a discussion for Azamara and other Cruise Operators at a future time.

So that’s it, warts ‘n’ all. Overall, I think we’ll look back very fondly on this one for a suitcase full of reasons. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Azamara for your next Cruise experience. Thanks Azamara – you are amazing!

Tomorrow…

9.05pm: And for the last time aboard the Azamara Quest, it’s goodnight from Stateroom 6005 – we disembark early tomorrow morning (around 7.30am!). Next stop? Akureyri, Iceland!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 18 – Heading for Iceland appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 17 — Monday, 18th August
NOT Prince Christian Sound, Greenland

Morning, my dedicated readers!

Thanks for all your comments, questions and feedback during this holiday, where our latest travels has seen over 700 reads. As we hit the final week of our unique adventure, outside it’s a drab Monday morning, as we continue sailing north-easterly to Iceland.

If you got around to reading yesterday’s Post, you’ll know that we’ve now had a massive change to the Programme. Prince Christian Sound is OFF due to a mismatch between the weather and our Ship . As a result, the good news is we’re about a day ahead, but it is around 700 miles to Iceland, and none of us really wanted any more ‘Sea Days’.

We’re more than disappointed, as are most of the passengers, but you can’t argue with Mother Nature. It seems that Greenland as a travel destination is somewhat fragile, where the Captain confirmed during today’s noon announcement that the weather was worse last time!

It’s the THIRD cancellation this trip, so cue a complete rewrite of the Ship’s on-board entertainment itinerary at the 11th hour (again) resulting in a lot of disorientated passengers this morning. In fact, there was hardly anyone around at all! We think they just stayed under the duvet, thinking ‘there’s nowhere to go!’.

Click for our itinerary (it’s mostly correct )

Putting the clocks forward an hour, seemed to have also confused most of our fellow guests this morning, but at least for us, we’re now 60 minutes closer to UK time.

When we arrived at the Discoveries Restaurant just before 8.15, it was almost deserted! Still, that meant we were soon served, and it gave us the time to plan our day ahead.

Browsing through the revised sequence of events today, the high point (apparently) was the ‘Staff Karaoke Night’ (‘Crewoke’!) with the Knitters & Knatters Group‘ getting a mention . Yikes! Shoot me now!! PLEASE! At least they’re not compulsory, and, thoughtfully, they’re not making them available to watch on the TV in our room! Phew! .

Ann headed for the Living Room on Deck 10 for the live demonstration by one of the Ship’s Chefs creating ‘Salmon Chowder’ . Now that was a worthwhile exercise!

With somewhat limited options today (the decks were closed off), elsewhere, there were the continuing lectures enrichment presentations to look forward to: ‘The Lore of the Sea Serpent‘ and ‘Forensic Detectives: Identifying America’s Fallen Heroes‘. We grabbed a coffee and headed for the Cabaret Lounge. It was already 80% full when we arrived – with 15 minutes until Dr Ron was on.

Fascinating stuff! You never know when this information will come in useful! .

The more popular of the two presentations had the Cabaret Lounge packed to capacity! It was literally, standing room only! In all our cruising, I’ve never seen an event like this so popular. Monday’s Factoid: Did you know there is no-one buried in the Unknown Soldier tomb for the Vietnam War at Arlington Cemetery? No? Me neither!

All credit to both Presenters who had been asked to deliver their respective expertise on very short notice.

The Boring Bit!

With our next stop being Reykjavik, Iceland, on Wednesday, thoughts turned to the boring, but necessary task of getting re-packed (or at least starting the process). The forecast there is double-digit temperatures – but only just!

The Boozy Bit

5.45pm: Whilst the girls have enjoyed their daily G&Ts, Ralph and I have developed a liking for the Ship’s Piña Coladas. They seem to vary a little in look and strength from Bar-to-Bar, but we’ve made staggeringly good progress conducting comparisons!

The Indian Bit!

6.25pm: With our final posh restaurant visit scheduled for tomorrow, tonight we chose ‘casual’ and visited the Windows Café on Deck 10 for their ‘Taste of India’ Night.

One of my best Indians EVER!

The Non-Boozy Bit! (Honest!)

7.50pm: Just time for a pre-drink dwinkie!

The End Bit

8.15pm: Ralph & Karen went off to see the show whilst we headed to Deck 10 and the Living Room for a Hot Chocolate… and some early Jazz… and then I think we’re done!! It’s been a tough day with all that eating and drinking

Seems a shame to delete this… so, just for the record…

About Prince Christian Sound

Our final day in Greenland sees us sailing for Prince Christian Sound. Sounds like a 60’s Fairy Tale Jazz group, but instead, is the name of a waterway here in Southern Greenland. It separates the mainland from Sammisoq (population 0 – they must have known about us!) and other islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago. The name was given in honour of the Prince, later, King Christian VIII of Denmark.

Tomorrow…

It’s another day at sea tomorrow! For me, the highlights are going to be:-

• How DNA was used in latter years in the Jack the Ripper case (Part of the ongoing ‘Forensic DNA series’)
• Our final ‘posh’ nosh opportunity: Aqualina, Deck 10 (Italian)

9.25pm: Sleep well! See you Tuesday!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 17 – Prince Christian Sound, Greenland – NOT! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 16 — Sunday, 17th August
Qaqortoq, Greenland

Morning all!

It’s Day 16 of our three-week adventure, having ‘done’ Canada, we’ll soon be heading for Iceland in a few days’ time. For now, here we are on a chilly Sunday morning in Qaqortoq (aka Julianehaab), for our penultimate day in Greenland. Having sailed through the night, we docked here at just after 5am this morning, ensuring that (after yesterday’s fiasco) we ensured we grabbed a prime anchoring position.

5.10am: Us (the Azamara Quest), the Oceania Sirena and the MS Zuiderdam now had completed the maritime equivalent of ‘getting your towels on the sunbeds before breakfast’ – and it looked like our overnight sailing at speed paid off! The Captain’s strategy had worked as we’d positioned ourselves closest to land (making it easier for our Tenders).

We have over 12 hours here before leaving at 8pm tonight, but the enjoyment factor is very much down to the weather!

Click for our itinerary…

Here, There and Everywhere!

Day 15 – Paamiut, Greenland Saturday, 16th August
Day 14 – Sisimiut, Greenland Friday, 15th August
Day 13 – No Nuuk! Thursday, 14th August
Days 10/11/12 – Next stop, Greenland! Wednesday, 13th August
Day 9 – Havre St Pierre, Quebec Sunday, 10th August
Day 8 – At Sea Saturday, 9th August
Day 7 – Saguenay, Quebec Friday, 8th August
Day 6 – More of Quebec City Thursday, 7th August
Day 5 – Quebec City (1st Day) Wednesday, 6th August
Day 4 – All Aboard! Tuesday, 5th August
Day 3 – Montreal (2nd Day) Monday, 4th August
Day 2 – Montreal (1st Day) Sunday, 3rd August
Day 1 – Montreal Bound! Saturday, 2nd August

Photo Reel, so far, is HERE

About Qaqortoq…

“Qatortoq – where colourful houses dot the hillsides and Inuit traditions meet Nordic charm!”
-The Insider, August 2025

With a population of just 3000, Qaqortoq (pronounced kak-a-tock) is the largest town in southern Greenland and set within a system of fjords. The town centre is home to 18th-century colonial buildings and a landmark fountain as well as a few shops, the school and many domestic dwellings.

After yesterday’s disappointment in not getting to Paamiut, we’ve booked a guided ‘town walk’ later today. It was a two-hour experience and cost us $99 US each.

11.15am: As we got ourselves ready for the trip ashore we noticed that the weather had deteriorated – significantly! FOG! And THICK fog at that! Was today about to be another ‘no go’?

12.20pm: Eventually, the weather Gods smiled on us! By the time we boarded the Tender, the fog had lifted, and it looked like a fine day ahead! . In fact, the temperature defied the forecast and was pushing a mighty 8℃! .

Consequently, we didn’t need our hats nor gloves. But what we DID need (and we had both, but left them back on the Azamara Quest) was: Midge Spray and Hats with nets. Once we got ashore, there were hundreds of the flying beasties – and they didn’t leave us for the whole of our stay.

The town looked very busy, but I think that was down to THREE Cruise Ships arriving at around the same time. Julia introduced herself as our Guide. A born and bred Inuit, she spent the next 90-minutes with us, pointing out various landmarks around the town and helpfully conducted our tour in English. Could we have wandered around under our own steam? Quite possibly, but it was good to get the background to some of the less familiar sights.

Carvings: ‘Stone and Man’

Julia explained these were pretty old – I think she said some dated back to 3000BC. It certainly gave a great introduction to how old the town was. You can read more about them HERE.

The weather seemed to be improving all the time, making it easy to bring out the best in this relatively small and straightforward town.

Julia explained the convention of the coloured exteriors (yellow = hospital, red = public building/churches, green = telecoms, blue = fish factories and others). Based on the Danish tradition, these ‘rules’ were maintained until the 60s, but since then, the different colours have no significance.

If the colours of the buildings didn’t make for a good photo, then Mother Nature came to the rescue. Just take a look and some of these random landscape shots from today. No colour boosting, no post-processing, just sky, land and water (sometimes, all three) in perfect harmony!

As we continued our Tour, Qaqortoq felt that it had a real buzz about it. Maybe that was the gazillions of tourists (that just about outnumbered the midges, but it was a close run thing!). We tried to imagine what the town felt like in the depths of winter. The coldest temperature ever recorded here was -30℃ in 1983, but the average temperature tops out at ‘just’ 16℃. The major industries seem to be (surprise, surprise) ‘fish’ and the ‘processing’ of seals (and I didn’t think that means there’s a seal sanctuary here!) . Snow lasts for around 8 months each year!

The local lake – Lake Tasersuaq – provides the town with all its water needs – washing and drinking – but also presents the perfect backdrop for some stunning photographs too!

Stunning ehh!?!? We’re so glad we took the LATER tour where chatting to a fellow passenger (who’s been on the earlier Tour) commented that his had been shrouded in fog.

We must have been ashore for about two hours, and at a push, we might have spent a LITTLE longer there, but I feel that THREE hours would be the maximum. Apart from the stunning views, there’s not much else to do, although we did see a group of locals cooking reindeer on a BBQ as well as a building that looked like it served beer. Other than that, apart from the natural beauty of the place, don’t expect much more. There is a Museum, but it looked a bit unloved, proudly confirmed it DIDN’T have WiFi – and wanted $10/€10 each for an entry fee. We weren’t tempted! .

We’re not sure that Qaqortoq is ready for the big time just yet – it just doesn’t have the right balance of infrastructure yet (did anyone find the public toilets?) but today was a good day!

I’ll end this review of Qaqortog with a few extra photos that didn’t seem to fit anywhere else. Enjoy!!

We headed back to the Tender and only had to wait about 5 minutes before we boarded. It had been a very enjoyable visit, helped by the very bearable temperature but hindered (a little) by our new flying friends.

2.15pm: Back on board, a cuppa, a cookie, plus a visit to the laundry room followed (in that order!). A lazy afternoon followed.

6.00pm: Tonight was our final visit to ‘C Prime’ – the Steak Restaurant here on the Ship.

As usual, the food and service didn’t disappoint!

7.01pm: Oh no! Our Captain is now becoming ‘The Prophet of Doom’! . Tonight, just as we were tucking into our evening meal, more bad news! Because of the forecasted weather conditions, we will NOT be sailing to Prince Christian Sound tomorrow. Yoiks! That’s the THIRD location on the itinerary that’s been cancelled! . Instead, we’re heading for Iceland earlier than planned.

Tonight’s Entertainment

That was painful! Surprisingly and disappointingly so!

The Ship’s entertainers and dancers put on a show celebrating ‘Broadway’. Clearly, Ann and I were at a different show to everyone else, where for us two, most of the singing was either too screechy, too loud – and those ‘harmonies’!!! Ouch! Luckily, the Quest’s windows were toughened! OK not every number was a disaster at sea, but talk about ‘murder on the dance floor’! It didn’t help that we weren’t familiar with the majority of the songs either. For a public performance, why pick such an obscure playlist? Meanwhile, the rest of the audience seemed to be enjoying it – a lot! At the end, a standing ovation followed. Well, that’s 60 minutes of my life I’m not going to get back. Note to self: just in case, get my ears tested!

Clocks went forward an hour tonight! We’ve almost caught up as we’re now only ONE hour behind the UK.

Tomorrow…

Bugger!

Our final day in Greenland sees us sailing for Prince Christian Sound. Sounds like a 60’s Fairy Tale Jazz Band but it’s the name of a waterway here in Southern Greenland. It separates the mainland from Sammisoq (population 0) and other islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago. The name was given in honour of a real Prince, later, King Christian VIII of Denmark.

Night night! See you Monday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 16 – Qaqortoq, Greenland appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 15 — 16th August
Paamiut, Greenland

Is it the weekend already? We’re at that stage where all the days are merging into one massive bout of eating, drinking and enjoying the scenery. Yes, I know: ‘Poor Loves!”

With Canada now becoming a distant memory and our last few days left in Greenland, our final leg will soon be Iceland. Again, a massive ‘thank you’ for your readership so far. Interestingly, ‘Day 7 – Saguenay’ (read it HERE) has, so far, turned out to be the most popular Post according to the readership numbers. I’m not sure why though! . I shall muse over that during my morning Muesli!

Click for our itinerary…

In fact, it was a bright very bright and sunny morning – complete with the occasional iceberg! We settled in the Living Room on Deck 10 and grabbed a comfy sofa and for the next few hours, literally watched the world go by whilst catching up with our reading. It was a long stretch from Sisimiut to Paamiut as we sailed down the west coast of Greenland, but at least the weather was on our side.

12.25pm: Anchor down! . Bow thrusters were then engaged as we manoeuvred into a suitable position in readiness to launch the Tenders to get us ashore. Ralph & Karen went ahead and picked up the necessary tickets we needed to board the Tender, and we then joined them downstairs, with a lot of others, awaiting the formal announcement for passenger transfer.

We were prepared!

• Gloves
• Hats
• Thick coats
• Passports
• An infinite supply of optimism

Oh no! red text alert! We dressed up too early!

12.44pm update: With crowds now assembling eager to leave the Azamara Quest, and see more of Greenland, the Captain announced that he wasn’t happy with the ship’s anchoring position and he was also worried about the swell. We were advised to await his next announcement. Not the news that any of us wanted to hear!

Meanwhile, we learned that another Cruise Ship – the Oceania Sirena had bagged to best position by arriving before us . Whilst the Captain was about to major in his skillset, we grabbed some food whilst waiting for the Azamara Quest to find a new parking spot.

1.14pm update: The Captain confirmed that he wasn’t happy with the revised re-positioning and officially declared Paamiut a ‘no go’ . Cue lots of disappointment around the Ship, but inwardly, we all knew it was the right decision to put our safety first

With the majority of the passengers now somewhat dis-orientated, it was time to make the best of the poor situation. Ann and I decided to take advantage of the dry (but cold) weather and walk some laps around the deck (13 laps = 1 mile). Unfortunately, so did everyone else, and the usually mostly empty deck took on the feel of the M25 in the rush hour! – and to maintain the comparison, a few, were travelling in the opposite direction to the rest of us. To add to the congestion, some weren’t walking at all – they were there for the view of the nearby icebergs. Out came the long lenses, the longer lenses and the REALLY, really long lenses – all very Freudian!

After our mile, we found a couple of sun-loungers and spent the next 30 minutes with the Sun warming our faces whilst wearing gloves and a hat! Strangely satisfying and slightly surreal, to also be surrounded by icebergs!

In a strange sense of irony and art imitating life, the Ship had helpfully put out iced water for us walkers! . Well, I thought it was funny!!!

I’ll just leave my notes about Paamiut here…

About Paamiut…

“Paamiut is a picturesque town known for its colourful wooden houses, rich maritime history and abundant wildlife. It offers a quiet glimpse into everyday life in Greenland’s coastal communities“
– The Insider, August, 2025

Paamiut (Pronounced Parm-ee-urt) and its population of just 1300 (ish) is also known as Frederikshåb, a town in southwestern Greenland.

At last, some GOOD news! It’s time for an award…

Who are you calling ‘Blue Nose’?

It’s official! We are now members of the Blue Nose Society. That’s the select few who have crossed into the Arctic Circle. Information varies, but in some quarters, that means we should expect to have our noses painted blue at some point! If so, for me, I think they’re going to need a bigger tin of paint!

Dinner – Discoveries Restaurant

Another superb experience tonight! This time in the Discoveries Restaurant. I could get used to this every night, but I think I’d be the size of a bus within a month!!

Then, to finish off the evening, we all headed to the Living Room on Deck 10 for a nightcap.

Onwards and Upwards Southwards!

Well, that was all very disappointing today as far as exploring more of Greenland was concerned! No-one’s fault as such, but we do seem to having a run of bad luck with Ports – two cancelled to-date! . Also, there was no sight of ANY whales today at all, but at least there were icebergs! And we’re promised even more over the next day-or-so.

Tomorrow…

Tomorrow, at ‘silly o’clock’, we arrive in Qaqortoq, Greenland (Sounds fine already – they say the Brits love Qs! ). But with our track record, will we actually land? . There’s a bit of a race on too! There are three Cruise Ships all heading for same location. As I write this, the Oceania Sirena (from earlier in Paamiut) is in our rear view mirror and the MS Zuiderdam is approaching from the east. It’s all going to get a little cramped in Qaqortoq tomorrow! Now, if only we had cannons!!!

10.15pm: That’s it for today! Sleep tight – see you Sunday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 15 – Paamiut, Greenland appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 14 — Friday, 15th August
Sisimiut, Greenland

Good morning, dedicated readers! We’re in Sisimiut, Greenland, where we arrived ahead of schedule last night at around 8pm. We’re still with our great mates, Ralph & Karen having already enjoyed the sights and sounds in parts of French-speaking Canada – Montréal and Québec. After a few more days here in Greenland, we’re heading for Iceland.

Click for our itinerary…

Do try and keep up!

Thirteen down, just ten to go!

Day 13 – No Nuuk! Tuesday 12th August

Days 10/11/12 – Next Stop, Greenland Monday-Wednesday, 11-13th August

Day 9 – Havre St Pierre, Quebec Sunday, 10th August

Day 8 – At Sea Saturday, 9th August

Day 7 – Saguenay, Quebec Friday, 8th August

Day 6 – More of Quebec City Thursday, 7th August

Day 5 – Quebec City (1st Day) Wednesday, 6th August

Day 4 – All Aboard! Tuesday, 5th August

Day 3 – Montreal (2nd Day) Monday, 4th August

Day 2 – Montreal (1st Day) Sunday, 3rd August

Day 1 – Montreal Bound! Saturday, 2nd August

Sisimiut? Never heard of it!

Sisimiut (population approximately 5000) – pronounced sis-ee-me-oot – is also known by its Danish name Holstensborg or Holsteinsborg, and is the capital and largest city of the Qeqqata municipality. It’s also the second-largest city in Greenland after Nuuk (that’s the location we didn’t visit yesterday!)

We’re here for just half a day until 2pm local time. After quite a few days at sea, we wanted to get some (very!) fresh air, and so we booked on the two-hour Inuit Historical Hike ($89US each).

Those of you with good eyesight will have spotted the ‘s’ word bottom left on the tickets – STRENUOUS – and it was to live up to the description! It was just a pity we didn’t know that beforehand!

We were all dressed for the part! It looked cold through the safety of our porthole, but actually walking around the town revealed it to be much colder – even more so than the official forecast, err forecasted. Hats, gloves and a thick coat (or two) were a must, as we listened to our Guides, explaining the walking route.

It began gently enough as we wandered from the Ship towards the rugged terrain.

Initially, it wasn’t the most picturesque of surroundings (but good to see that even the shipping containers, like the dwellings, were painted in bright colours!)

The scene out across the water was about to change…

For me, the most memorable was the variation in rock colour. Even today, where the weather was best described as ‘dull’, revealed a very colourful landscape.

Beautiful!

The group now split into two as the rocky terrain revealed itself in all its ankle-twisting potential. The group division was easy: those related to mountain goats versus those preferring more solid foundations. As Ralph & Karen forged ahead with some of our party and one of the Guides, we ‘took one for the team’, and heroically opted to act as ‘back markers’ to look after the slower ones in the group!

Eventually, as the ‘Goats’ disappeared into the distance, we continued our role of observers, before our group, daunted by the climbing ahead, agreed unanimously to head back to the Ship. It would mean retracing our (difficult first) steps, but we all felt that it was the better option. ‘Wimps’ or ‘sensible sorts’? You decide!

It wasn’t just us, the explorers, who needed grip either! Looking at the tread on the local runaround vehicles clearly showed that tyres are taken very seriously out here too!

On a more serious note, for us as walkers, it WAS quite treacherous terrain once we got off the roads. Back in the H&S-obsessed world of the UK, this area would have been covered in safety barriers and signage to warn unsuspecting travellers that, in the end, ‘gravity always wins’ (and it was a long way down!).

What we could all agree on was that Sisimiut was stunningly beautiful! And although this simple town, with its main industry being (surprise, surprise – fish!), was nowhere as sophisticated as many of the places we’ve seen on our many travels – it didn’t matter – it has left a long-lasting impression!

As enjoyable as it was (well, apart from the terrain) we all felt that there had possibly been some mis-communication about this trip and how ‘easy’ it was going to be to get to where we were going. I’m also not sure the title: Inuit Historical Hike accurately described the experience, as none of us came away any the wiser about the Inuit than we were before we began.

Some things transcend national borders, and in spite of the massive differences between home and here, one thing remained universal… Potholes!

Back on the Azamara Quest, we headed for the Mosaic Café and our daily coffee fix (oh, and the ‘cookie of the day’ – white chocolate). We briefly met up with Ralph & Karen (with their ankles intact) and compared photos.

Say Goodbye to Sisimiut

It had only been a short stay in Sisimiut, but I think we saw the best of it. I can imagine that on warmer days with the typical stunning blue skies that are characteristic of this area, it might have added even more impact to many of the photos, but it was still an experience of a lifetime.

2.15pm: The Ship’s bow thrusters fired-up, signalling we were casting off and on our way to our next Port.

Whales! (The Sequel)

2.42pm: A quick alert from Whale-Spotter-in-Chief, Ralph, revealed we had a sighting off the starboard bow. I’m on a roll… if a role counts as TWO sightings this holiday!

We’re not sure of the species, but we think it was, again, a Pilot Whale. The sighting was all-too-brief, but here’s the shot, courtesy of Ralph.

5.15pm: We dropped briefly into the ‘Piano Bar’ aka The Atlas Bar for our daily dose of alcohol before heading to Aqualina. In a change to the usual live music, we enjoyed Vlad, from Ukraine, on the trumpet.

Please! No more food!

6.35pm: Well, it is beginning to feel like that! Those of you who are no strangers to the ‘cruising thing’ will already know that one thing they are NEVER short of is – FOOD!

Another fantastic experience – we could get used to this, although our bank balance might have other ideas!

Good Vibz…

10.25pm: We ended the day in the ‘Dining Room’ listening to the very relaxing sounds of the resident Band – Vibz!

Tomorrow…

We dock in Paamiut, Greenland around 1pm. It’s a tiny town with a population of around 1000. There are limited things to see and do, but I’m sure we’ll make the most of it.

Photo Reel
All our pics so far
(and none of my chat)
HERE

Night-night! See you on Saturday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 14 – Sisimiut, Greenland appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Morning all! Welcome to Thursday – day 13 of our BIG Holiday of 2025! We’re now heading for Greenland, but due to the weather conditions, we’re NOT landing at Nuuk, Greenland’s capital!

Day 13 — Thursday, 14th August
Nuuk, Greenland

Click for our itinerary…

Well, the above itinerary is ALMOST correct! Day 13 ehh? How appropriate – unlucky for some!! It’s a real shame that we won’t be seeing Nuuk, but of course, passenger safety must come first and attempting to get us all safely onto land, given the difficult weather conditions, it makes perfect sense not to attempt a landing. Onwards and upwards!

Missed a previous Post?
Days 10/11/12 – At Sea Monday-Wednesday 10-12 August
Amazing Azamara – Day 9 – Havre St Pierre, Quebec Sunday, 10th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 8 – At Sea Saturday, 9th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 7 – Saguenay, Quebec Friday, 8th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 6 – More of Quebec City Thursday, 7th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 5 – Quebec City (1st Day) Wednesday, 6th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 4 – All Aboard! Tuesday, 5th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 3 – Montreal (2nd Day) Monday, 4th August
Amazing Azamara – Day 2 – Montreal (1st Day) Sunday, 3rd August
Amazing Azamara – Day 1 – Montreal Bound! Saturday, 2nd August, 2025

About Nuuk…

We missed out on our pre-booked city walking tour, but Azamara credited the amount we’d paid at lightning speed.

Nuuk is the capital of Greenland, home to 20000 people and sits on the country’s southwest coast. Pronounced ‘nook’ (as in ‘spook’). Who noo? . It has a large fjord system is known for its waterfalls, humpback whales and icebergs – but most of that is for another day, another time. If you’re nosey about Nuuk – there’s more information here

Plan B

So, with Nuuk off the programme, where next? Thoughtfully, the Ship had a fallback plan. Instead, we’re staying on board and heading for some nearby fjords in what’s described as ‘scenic cruising’. Specifically, we’re on our way to Hamburger Sund (yes, really!) and Evighed Fjord. In there somewhere is the promise of a glacier – up close and personal.

Hamburger Sund

Hamburger Sund is located near Maniitsoq, West Greenland (don’t get it confused with its namesake in Sweden). With such an unusual name, finding information about Hamburger Sund here was a real challenge – where Mr Google and most of the other major search engines (with all their AI intelligence) seemed to think I was looking for the ‘sound of a hamburger’! That’s surely a whole different holiday experience!! . You’ll be pleased to learn, not surprisingly, there ISN’T a McDonalds here!

“A breathtaking coastal waterway celebrated for its mountain scenery and rugged wilderness where towering peaks plunge steeply into pristine waters…”
– The Insider, 2025

8.35am update: Holy Moly! It pays to stay flexible with our travel plans! The Captain has just announced that: ‘Due to 40kph winds, we won’t be heading for Hamburger Sund’.

Plan C

As Plan B gave way to Plan C, we sailed along the fjord, with mainland Greenland on our port side and (for a while) uninhabited islands on our starboard. Plan C offered a journey of around 90 minutes full of mountains, clear water with the occasional scenes of small settlements.

Evighed Fjord

Outside, it looked a bit like a Dulux paint chart or the title of that infamous book/film – ‘50 shades of grey‘. It was truly a very grey day out there with absolutely no hint of sunshine! Maxxing out at just 4℃ and very windy! A wander around the deck was for the very brave… or very numb! Yes, this is a holiday, and we’re now rather envious of the temperatures back home! (Well, I am!)

“…Known also as the Fjord of Eternity the fjord is framed by towering mountains and cascading waterfalls with icy blue waters that seem to stretch forever…”
-The Insider, 2025

As our ‘voyage of discovery’ continued, the grey gave way to a hint of blue – and in more good news, in these parts, sunset isn’t until after 11 pm.

11.45am update: After less than the planned 90 minutes ‘in’, the Azamara Quest turned around, due to poor visibility and headed back from whence it came. So we missed out on the view of the promised glacier.

At this rate, we’re going to run out of letters of the alphabet to keep up with the changes of plan!

With Ralph on watch via their balcony for submarines/mermaids/seals or even whales, we sought sanctuary in the Ship’s Library for an extended period of reading.

2.00pm: Time for another talk about DNA Testing courtesy of Dr. Hal Tinberg.

The weather had improved marginally, but it was still raining and bitterly cold.

In amongst the planning, re-planning and re-re-planning, a glimmer of good news emerged! Because of the various curtailed parts of our itinerary, it meant that instead of arriving in Sisimuit tomorrow morning, we’ll arrive some time later this evening.

5.44pm update: We are all now officially members of the Blue Nose Society confirming we have just crossed into the Arctic Circle!

In summary then: a disappointing day (especially after three days at sea), but at least the Captain did his best to keep us informed of progress and the decisions taken – and why! To cheer ourselves up, at least we’re getting our very own ‘Blue Nose Certificate’!

Tonight is ‘Spanish Night’

In keeping with the daily theme in the Windows Café, tonight had a Spanish feel (although I thought it might be ‘Eskimo’ given the conditions, today ).

6.30pm: We ‘slummed it’ in the Windows Café tonight! Excellent food, especially the Dessert selection!

Slipping into Sisimiut

7.55pm: At around 8pm, we slipped into the town of Sisimiut. It was still light and the perfect opportunity to grab some photos.

Tonight’s Entertainment

9.00pm: Tonight, it was the turn of the Ship’s Cruise Director, Martin Lawson to entertain us. He’s been a highly visible part of managing the entertainment side of things throughout the Cruise. He’s a natural ‘people-pleaser’ and has a smile brighter than most of my shirts! Oh, and he’s got a great singing voice as well!

A really enjoyable evening featuring songs by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Les Mis and Elvis – what a talent!

Tomorrow…

We’ve got a two hour ‘Historical Hike’ aka a guided walk around Sisimiut.

10.05pm: Amazing! It’s gone 10pm and it’s still perfectly light out there! See you tomorrow! Nighty-night!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 13 – No Nuuk! appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Days 10/11/12
Monday, 11th August to Wednesday 13th August
Sailing to Greenland

Morning all. Welcome back to our BIG Holiday of 2025! It’s another period at sea as we head for Greenland. On Monday morning, we got the internet back too, but it’s all a bit temperamental. Consider this an extra ‘simplified’ Post that I didn’t think I’d be able to publish to set the scene for our next stop!

The clocks went forward an hour on Sunday night, and they did the same again on Monday and Tuesday.

Highlights

Day 10 (Monday, 11th August) – A surprisingly warm day/breakfast on deck/another DNA talk/Outdoor BBQ for Lunch/Saw an iceberg!/4 hours behind UK time
Day 11 (Tuesday, 12th August) – A complete contrast to yesterday – far too cold to sit on deck/Fascinating Q&A session by Maggie & Jens, our ‘Ice Pilots’/Another talk about the wildlife – Seals v Sea-Lions/Ate at the fancy Italian Restaurant tonight/3 hours behind UK
Day 12 (Wednesday, 13th August) – We’re over two-thirds of the way to Greenland/Nothing to see out at sea due to the fog that’s been around for the past day/We’re now just 2 hours behind UK – same time as Greenland – no clock change tonight.

Missed a Post?

Day 9 – Havre St Pierre, Quebec, Sunday, 10th August
Day 8 – At Sea, Saturday, 9th August
Day 7 – Saguenay, Quebec, Friday, 8th August
Day 6 – More of Quebec City, Thursday, 7th August
Day 5 – Quebec City (1st Day), Wednesday, 6th August
Day 4 – All Aboard!, Tuesday, 5th August
Day 3 – Montreal (2nd Day), Monday, 4th August
Day 2 – Montreal (1st Day), Sunday, 3rd August
Day 1 – Montreal Bound!, Saturday, 2nd August

As we said goodbye to the St Lawrence River, we briefly headed south before the Captain pointed Azamara Quest north all the way to Greenland’s capital city, Nuuk (more about that on Thursday). It was a trip of just over 1000 nautical miles, and we needed these full three days to get us there.

Again, we weren’t sure what the scenery would reveal, but the fog has been quite persistent . Having now seen an iceberg (quite rare, given our position at the time, and it was the only one too!) and (almost) a whale, I’m sort of ‘in credit’!

Meanwhile, there were plenty of things organised by the Ship to stop us going mad whilst we spent the three full days away from land. It’s a regular challenge for ALL cruises and the Azamara Quest did a great job offering a generous supply of physical and mental activities, plus food, plus drink – plus more food and more drink!!

Greenland, here we come! ‘Nuuk’ is next!

Then, at the regular noon announcement by the Captain, on Wednesday, we heard the news no-one wanted to hear!

“Due to the appalling weather conditions, we’re unable to land at Nuuk”.

Instead, they offered a ‘Plan B. Tomorrow, we’re all remaining on board and sailing to a nearby picturesque fjord, complete with a glacier.

Well, at least it’s still Greenland! So I’ll just leave these notes here…

About Greenland

I confess not to have known much about Greenland before we planned this holiday! So, time for a bit of research – so you don’t have to!

As you can see, Greenland is larger than the UK. It has a population of just 56000 (Kettering has close to 63000) so there’s plenty of space, even though the majority of the land mass is unoccupied. According to our Ice Pilots earlier, some of the surrounding waters are still uncharted. To be able to visit this country is a logistical challenge – and for us, a real privilege!

Just like Australia, most Greenlandians live around the edge, where the country is officially recognised as the ‘World’s largest island’. But wait! Why isn’t Oz (that’s three times the size of Greenland) considered the largest? Answers on a postcard, please! . Actually, more accurately, ‘Greenland is the largest island in the world, that’s not a continent’.

Ready for your next Greenland Pub Quiz? Here we go…

• The country belongs to Denmark
• The currency is the Danish Krone (1 DKK = 10p)
• It became self-ruling in 2009
• Official language is now Kalaallisut, but Danish and English is also heard
• There are more boats than cars
• There are NO roads that directly connect any of the towns
• It has only ONE town that’s not on the coast (Kangerlussuaq – that’s easy for you to say!)
• Life expectancy in Greenland is 10 years lower than the UK
• The country has the largest national park in the world (the entire north-east!)
• It’s easy to see whales and the Northern Lights here (yeah, right!)
• Around 75-80% of the country is covered in ice
• You can only get to Greenland from Denmark or Iceland – or if you’re on a Cruise!
• They have 4G, but only around the edges
• Temperatures can hit 18-20℃. Scorchio!
• There are very few trees!
• There are midges in Greenland
• The word ‘Kayak’ comes from the Greenlandic word ‘qajaq’
• Greenland has the northernmost capital in the world – Nuuk

You’re welcome!

Well, we’re about as prepared as we’re ever going to be as we sailed towards Greenland’s capital. That’ll teach me to prepare!

On a more positive note: tonight is ‘Steak Night’ (photos to follow!)

Whales Update!

Today had been a day where both Ralph and I had been on high alert for the sighting of whales. According to those in the know, it was going to be a good day for it.

Well, maybe not in my case. We’d gone the whole day without seeing ANY! By 5pm, I’d pretty much given up and turned my attention to getting ready for the evening meal and the entertainment.

In a perfect example of IMperfect timing, around 5 minutes after we’d headed for the Bar, Ralph had been lucky enough to snap this beauty. Again, these intelligent species had outsmarted me and waited until I was looking the wrong way before making their appearance!

Going Italian

We enjoyed another fantastic meal in the Italian Restaurant – Aqualina – tonight.

The Show

We rounded off the evening with a visit to the (packed!) Cabaret Lounge to see Daniel Diaz perform. Clearly a very talented musician, we were treated to an unusual mix of musical styles that included Classical and Latin with a bit of Michael Jackson thrown in! You don’t often see all of those performed in the same programme! Infectious, toe-tapping stuff (except for the Chopin piece!)

Tomorrow in Nuuk…

Tomorrow, we say hello at last, to land – and Nuuk, Greenland’s capital city where it used to be known by its Danish name, Godthaab.

See you tomorrow for an unplanned adventure!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Days 10/11/12 – Next stop, Greenland! appeared first on Steve's Blog.