Entering Timanfaya National Park is like entering a strange alien world. We got a bus trip that took us up the winding roads of the park stopping at El Diablo restaurant.

The food here is cooked on a hot volcanic vent at 400 °C. Standard BBQ food, they serve chicken and fish,  but with an amazing view. The restaurant looked nice but we didn’t eat there . Instead outside you can see demonstrations of  what the hot ground can do. If water is poured into a bore hole seconds later it shoots up like a geyser as it boils.  Hay put on the ground bursts into flames and there is a demonstration BBQ grill where you can see the food being cooked.

 

 

Although we hadn’t paid for a meal with our bus tour apparently we had paid for a camel ride. I wouldn’t have volunteered for this but it seemed to be almost compulsory so against my better judgement I agreed. At least it was a two person seat meaning that you sat to one side of the animal  instead of on top. This actually made it much more comfortable  although it still felt precarious. Anyway I survived the mercifully brief experience.

 

Los Hervideros

 

On the west coast of Lanzarote is Los Hervideros or boiling waters. This stretch of cliffs and underwater caves were formed by lava flowing into the sea during the 1730- 36 eruption of Timanfaya. As the the swirls around the strangely shaped lava rocks it foams up and looks as if it is boiling. There are paths to wander round and you can find green olivine if you search among the lava or you can buy one that takes your fancy from one of the many stalls selling it for a euro or two.

 

 

 

Lanzarote is famous for one more thing – the fertile volcanic soil is excellent for grapes even if it looks as if nothing could possibly grow. So last thing of the day – wine tasting.

 

The wine was excellent!