On Sunday, Alan Gandy successfully completed his Seven-Islands Walk. (If you’re impressed, you can donate here.) Tuesday May 1st is a public holiday. Most shops will be closed. If you’re self catering, it might be an idea to stock up a bit today. Thursday May 3rd is a local holiday in Santa Cruz de La Palma, Breña Alta, Breña Baja and Mazo. It’s Fiesta de la Cruz, and the roadside…
Fish on La Palma is usually delicious because its very fresh. Well it should be, given the amount of ocean surrounding the island. I once went with friends to a shack on the beach at Punta Larga (since closed) where we had to wait, because the cook was having her own lunch. As we sipped our beer, a man came up out of the sea with two fish on a…
There is a new astronomical viewpoint above Mazo at Las Toscas. Like the others, it has parking space, level ground suitable for tripods, a signpost pointing to the pole star, and an information panel. This one has information about noctural wildlife on La Palma: bats, owls and crickets. It’s well away from street lights, although it does give a great view down to the island’s airport. To get there,…
La Palma has lots of lovely viewpoints, and I just discovered a new one, at Montaña de las Toscas above Mazo. It has wonderful views up to the central ridge, and down towards Santa Cruz and the airport. If you think you can see a long way during the day, come back at night! This is one of the island’s astronomical viewpoints, so there are information panels explaining the night…
The Red House, Mazo La Palma’s embroidery museum is upstairs in the Red House in Mazo. (I’ll write about that in my next post.) Downstairs is a museum about the fiesta of Corpus Christi in Mazo. If you’re on La Palma for June 3rd next year, for goodness’ sake go and see it. If not, I strongly recommend the museum. Some of the things used to make the Corpus Christi…
A collection of old weights As well as the workshop making replica ceramics, the windmill at Mazo houses a small museum. Entry is free, but there are a couple of places you can make a donation. Upstairs is mostly a collection of old tools: an old Singer sewing machine, combs for flax, knife grinders, braziers… Oil lamps … the millers glasses, shepherd’s poles, long handled pallets for putting bread in…