Friday the 6th of February, after work while waiting on our mother to arrive, +Niamh surprised me with an early birthday dinner at Jimmy Chungs on the quays, which was a great way to begin my holidays and 30th celebrations. After collecting our mother from Heuston station, we had a few drinks before I was yet again surprised with an early birthday Pizza. About lunch time the next day, we all decided it was time to head out and get a bite to eat. Our mother, kept asking where was this restaurant, HerbStreet, as the walk seemed to take for ever. However once the food came out, she did admit it was worth the walk and wait as we were all completely stuffed afterwards.
As we continued to enjoy the rest of the day and evening, as the clock struck midnight I wondered why, the lights in the living room all suddenly went out, to discover my mother and Niamh singing Happy Birthday with a cake, candles and all. Then my father face timed us about the same time, which was perfect timing and was so funny. It ended up been quite a late night, which would have had us rushing in the morning if we hadn't already packed. After saying our goodbyes to Niamh, my mother and myself, got the Airlink from Heuston to the Airport. After a slight mishap over my mother's ticket and her phone, that I got sorted at the +Aer Lingus check in desk, we joined the queue at security. As per usual, my mother would get stuck with the wagon at security, lucky I had my wits about me and all got sorted. Once in duty free, my mother finally managed to relax a bit. After purchasing a few duty free items for the holiday, we got the obligatory drink and relaxed waiting for our gate. Once aboard the plane, despite some turbulence, it was a smooth enough flight to Lanzarote.
Once arriving into Lanzarote, we made our way through baggage claim, out of the airport and got a taxi to our accommodation, the La Morana Apartments near Murphys bar. Which would be become our local bar for the majority of our stay in Puerto del Carmen. After unpacking and getting settled. it was time for some nourishment. The place we tried, the Blue Marlin was a total disaster from the off. Luckily enough after this disaster, everything else that night was such fun. We ended up leaving Murphy's Bar about 2 am that night after listening to Sean Boland and the famous Jimmy Barry Murphy, the white nigger from Cork, which I had heard some much about, singing his famous Langer song. It was a perfect ending to my birthday and was looking forward to the rest of the holiday.
The next morning, while discussing plans for the week, my mother wasn't feeling well, so we began the trek to the pharmacy in new town and got some tablets which did wonders for us both. When I suddenly remembered who had the apartment key, we rushed back and to our great relief, the key was exactly where I left it in the reception area. Which gave us the excuse to have a few drinks by the pool and catch some sun. Thats evening I booked a tour for the following morning, the short South Tour around the National Park of Timanfaya. After this we strolled towards the old town and ended up having a meal at The Crafty Cow on the recommendation of a co-worker, which we both agreed was just perfect and showed how bad the previous night's meal was. As we were eating, a female singer started to perform and she had such an amazing voice on her. We went exploring, and had a glimpse into the Blarney Stone and Blarney Grill where we saw the Dublin City Ramblers and Bianca Sutton and at the end of the night we yet again, ended up in Murphy's Bar.
The following morning we got the bus at 9.15 am for our tour with the first stop being in the heart of the National Park, home to the island's 300 craters and volcanoes. One of the demonstration was a volcano geyser in action. Continuing around the park, we almost got stuck behind a bus which was having some difficulties, luckily it wasn't for long, before we finished our journey in the park and made our way to the Camel Park at the base of the Fire Mountains. I decided this time to go on a camel ride, after turning down the option to years previously. It was a 20 mins ride, all was uneventful until I was getting off the male camel, and he hit his head against mine, wasn't sure to laugh or to be scared.
From the Camel Park, we had brunch on route to La Geria, the island's wine district, where we stopped for wine tasting however the wine tasted more like vinegar than wine. We returned back into Puerto del Carmen around 2 pm just as the sun was coming out, which was perfect timing for some sunbathing and swimming in the pool. A particular highlight food wise so far was the Mexican, Cantina Don Rafael where everything was superb from the cocktails to the fried breaded goats cheese.
As Wednesday was the best day weather wise, it was spent sunbathing drinking sangria and pizza by the pool, which was pleasant after all the walking and touring the previous day. Despite having a horrible cold dinner, we all had a blast in Murphy's Bar, with Linda Grey performing and us making some new friends, was a great end to the day.
The following morning, although we attempted to enjoy the sun, the sun wasn't with us, it was perfect walking weather. We began our walk towards Matagorda with a stroll along the Playa Grande. On our walk back towards our apartments, we stopped off at a cocktail bar called the Golden Corner and the Long Island cocktail and chocolate which were perfection. As we were on a roll, we decided to do a mini pub crawl on our route back. As my mother wanted to go for a 'quick' nap before heading out later, which of course ended with her staying asleep. I decided to go off exploring more of old and new town and see what The Island bar was but to my surprise, the bar is closed on Thursdays. On top of the walk to Matagorda earlier in the day, I walked another 5.5km exploring both old town to the harbour and towards the other end of the new town of the strip.
With both of us well rested, and wanting to do the famous the Puerto del Carmen to Puerto Calero walk, 6.5 km from the apartments, so we set off early enough as to make most of the day. I was pleasantly surprised how scenic, peaceful and relaxing such a walk was and especially in the morning sun. After arriving into Puerto Calero harbour, we were looking about before getting the water bus to back Puerto del Carmen, although the journey was a tad windy, it was something different. We managed to make it back to the apartments about lunch time, so before we got ourselves comfy sunbathing, we got a pizza and sangria by the pool which was starting to turn into a habit.
I got to enjoy the pool one last time, before getting ready for our night ahead, we had a few drinks and nibbles from the nearby Chinese. Luckily we had, as the Italian we ended having our meal at was horrible, possibly the worst meal of our trip. Once we arrived at Fitzers Irish Bar, things started straight away to pick up with the start of The Glamour Girls Comedy Drag show, which from the onset had the whole audience in stitches till the end, I've not laughed that much in so long. After the show got to chat and have my photos taken with the drag queens. We made some new friends, who we ended up meeting up with later that night.
It was time to head to the next bar, on our pub crawl, Island bar our next stop, where Rory Gallagher formerly of The Revs is the co-owner and resident musician. Our final bar was Mulligans which was quite full with Bill Hughes performing who had the whole bar singing and dancing. It was here we met up with our new friends from Fitzers bar, and we were the last to leave at 4.30 am, which was our latest night out.
Even with the lack of sleep, we were all up, packed and fed before the check out time at 11am, which gave us the opportunity to catch last few rays of sun before our trip to the airport. We were able to relax in duty free purchasing some duty free alcohol. Despite some confusion with last minute change of gate and delay in taking off, which managed to arrive into Dublin still on time at 11pm. We were able to get the last Airline bus home and were welcomed home by Niamh who had a hot water bottle in my bed waiting for me as she knew I was up at 7.30am for work.
Despite the lack of sleep, I had one hell of a week away, no better way to celebrate my 30th.
The next morning, while discussing plans for the week, my mother wasn't feeling well, so we began the trek to the pharmacy in new town and got some tablets which did wonders for us both. When I suddenly remembered who had the apartment key, we rushed back and to our great relief, the key was exactly where I left it in the reception area. Which gave us the excuse to have a few drinks by the pool and catch some sun. Thats evening I booked a tour for the following morning, the short South Tour around the National Park of Timanfaya. After this we strolled towards the old town and ended up having a meal at The Crafty Cow on the recommendation of a co-worker, which we both agreed was just perfect and showed how bad the previous night's meal was. As we were eating, a female singer started to perform and she had such an amazing voice on her. We went exploring, and had a glimpse into the Blarney Stone and Blarney Grill where we saw the Dublin City Ramblers and Bianca Sutton and at the end of the night we yet again, ended up in Murphy's Bar.
