Arrecife, Lanzarote

May 17^th, 2024

Yet another overcast day. It was threatening to rain and the air was heavy with moisture, but luckily no actual precipitation. We decided to risk a potential deluge, and took the shuttle bus to the port gate and from there we walked into the old town.

It was a pretty walk past the lagoon.

We wandered through the narrow streets

On our way to the church of St Gines, the patron saint of Arrecife.

It is a small but beautiful church, with a rather lovely carved pulpit.

We spent quite some time there before deciding it was definitely time to eat again.

We walked along the water front to one of many restaurants situated there.

The food was delicious, I love tapas, and we enjoyed the view of the lagoon and fishing boats, and the walk back to the ship in time for tea. Cruising isn’t all about eating, but it does seem to occupy my mind a lot.

DJ Lily again provided the sail away music at the aft pool and the bubbly was flowing. I just wished it was a sunnier and less windy afternoon. The weather really has not been what we had hoped for in the sunny Canary Islands.

We went to the Indian restaurant, Aranya, for dinner. It is situated at the rear of the buffet, the Artisan’s Food Hall, and although it is used as a specialty restaurant in the evenings, it is an extension of the buffet restaurant during the day.

There is some attempt made to make you feel like you are in an Indian restaurant,

but it still lacks in atmosphere, and we will suggest that they install a curtain between the restaurant and the buffet. The unobstructed view of the Artisan’s Food Hall, doesn’t really help to make the space feel exclusive.

The food at Aranya was good, and we liked the frozen mango popsicles they served in between the first and second course.

Usually after dinner we like to either go to the show or go for a nightcap in the Commodore Club.

There are certainly a lot of other choices available. There is live music in 3 bars – there is Brian Pamphilon on the piano in the Commodore Club, Blake Smith Daniels plays the piano in the Chart Room, and his music  can also be heard in the nearby Café Carinthia and the Lobby, and tonight Rebecca Southard and Elijah Taula were in the Golden Lion.

However, if you would like a different form of entertainment, singer Lisa Marie Holmes was in the Royal Court Theatre, Sarah Carter, who plays the fiddle, was in the Queens Room, and the movie of the Who at Hyde Park was playing in the Pavilion. Then there was also the late show of Fizz in the Bright Lights Society. Plenty to keep you entertained.

We opted for the Commodore Club. It was time for another chocolate affair.