Lava and Fire Mountain

It is rarely I sign up for tours -about once a cruise, maybe less. But I found not that much interesting to see in Accerif last time – even given the excuse of a Sunday. Lanzarote is a volcanic island with major extensions and eruptions dating from 1730-36. It seemed sensible to see the area, especially since the tour included a camel ride.

No, we did not get a particularly friendly camel. Bernardo, in fact, sat back down on the job twice before being convinced he didn’t have a choice. Considering that the Eldest and I are not exactly the heaviest bit of baggage with which he could have been stuck – I don’t think this demonstrated much intelligence on his part. The camel handlers – on the other hand – had muzzles on them all which prevented both spitting and biting.

From there, it was just a short bus ride to the main building near the largest of the old volcanos. Although everyone keeps saying that there is no current risk of eruption, there is still magnum not that far below the surface. Down about two meters the temperature is high enough to trigger off spontaneous burning of hay tossed in for demonstration purposes.

In an area not very far along the ridge there are a series of pipes stuck vertically in the ground. If you, let us say, pour a bucket of water down one of those holes, it will take less than three second before it is returned to you in the form of boiling water and steam.

The lava flows, once started wiped out more than 25 small villages, fields, live stock and traveled from the center ridge to the ocean, extending the size of the island substantially. Driving through the fields we could see the layers of lava colored by included minerals and the area where, almost 300 years later, lichens are just starting. Lava tubes are clearly visible as are arches and caves cut in by the sea.

The last stop on the tour was a vine yard. Since the soil is dry and poor, the vines are raised on the ground. The semi-circles edged with volcanic rock retain what little moisture is in the air enabling the vines to survive. Since I can’t tell from wine – I have no clue as to whether or not the small bit provided for sampling was worth drinking.

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4 Responses to Lava and Fire Mountain

  1. Carmen says:

    Happy Valentine’s Day ! I hope you and Shana are celebrating – and having a great cruise. Based on your earlier photos, she must be having a great time making pictures.

  2. Brad says:

    There are NO friendly camels.

    Unlike donkeys or cattle, Camels cannot truly be said to be domesticated.

    They resent humans of all shades unless they make no demands upon them and allow them unfettered access to forage. Then they ignore them, which is as close to love as it gets with those beasts.

  3. Beverly says:

    Sounds fantastic – Lanzarote is on my “to do” list. It is a great favourite with geologists. I have a piece of rock from Lanzarote in my conservatory – it is a beautiful sparkling piece of pale-green olivine and is part of the Earth’s mantle, thrown up from more than 60km below the surface by the force of a volcanic eruption.

    I seem to remember from being in India that there is no such thing as a friendly camel. At best you will get one that is haughty and aloof, and regards carrying passengers (or any other load) with disdain but most tend towards bad temper and uncooperativeness. But they are fantastic animals and superbly “designed” for the environment in which they operate. I would guess that they are not native to Lanzarote?

  4. Pingback: Lanzarote – Star Legend – Holly Doyne

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