MY GRAN CANARIA ADVENTURE #2

Another wonderful day! Slept better last night. We drove into Las Palmas city. Watched wonderful folk dancing. Las Palmas is the capital founded in 1478. It was originally an army camp. The city’s name was chosen because 3 palm trees grew there. The settlement developed quickly and was classified as a city in the 16th century. The 16th and 17th centuries were hard ones becauise the city was attacked by pirates, including the famous Sir Francis Drake. Drake’s attacks were unsuccessful, unlike those of Dutchman Van der Does, who sacked the capital in 1599.Over the centuries, the city has been visited by a number of more agreeable foreigners, who moved into area and turned Las Palmas into a very cosmopolitan place. The cochineal business and the construction of a new port in the 19th century injected new energy into the city. Today, Las Palmas is home to almost 400,000 people, nearly half the island’s population. It has a very lively business and cultural calendar, which includes the Interantional Film Festival, and Carnival, one of the fiestas that draws the largest crowds. After we went shopping for Shannon’s school Xmas party tonight. We didn’t find anything. Went to the fish market. Shannon bought me a wonderful Canaria hat. It breathes! Very comfortable. She bought fish and we had a nice lunch of fish, asparagras, and carrots with Bill (Rick’s dad) added to the table. I enjoyed my first Canaria beer. Took a long nap. Rick and Shannon are going to their school Xmas party at 8pm so I will be on my own. Lots of walking here and I have developed a blister on my left foot from my new Merrell sandals, so today I work my sneakers. Life is good.!