Revising

Homework from last week: revise your own and one other person's work from the session. We will be spending the first 15 minutes or so comparing our efforts this week.
I was delighted to start, last week with a tray of items, and ask the class to identify them and their uses, and to find that they did not have a clue what some of them were! We had fun reading out their ideas and even more fun explaining what they were, as if to someone who had no idea and little or no cultural connection for reference, and discussing the results.
Choosing a different, more familiar object as stimulus we wrote a final piece (we will be discussing the revisions briefly this week) and also had a go at revising a piece provided for everyone to work on and compared ideas.

Possible new Writing Group in Puerto del Carmen

A new group has been proposed in Puerto del Carmen. It will only be initiated if enough people want to try it so please let me know if evenings would suit you and if you would be interested in joining a group in Puerto del Carmen.

Good Start

The first two sessions of the 2013 have been great fun, very satisfying and fruitful.
In the first session we talked about books that we had read over the holidays and then read and discussed a handout, 'Improve your word power,' which includes some of the ways in which reading can do just that.
Members were asked to look at a wine glass which was  placed on the table, in silence, for a couple of minutes, allowing their minds to drift around whatever thoughts it stimulated.. They all then wrote for about 15 minutes before we shared and discussed responses, thinking about the thrust of each piece, fact, information, opinions and observations that were included and focusing on the differences or similarities in content and style.

We followed this in week two with a second page from 'Improve your word power' and a short quiz on the etymology of words. Then we did a similar writing exercise but with a choice of three objects. We looked at a short extract from Douglas Kennedy: 'The Moment'  in which he describes his main character, a travel writer, revising an essay. A discussion followed in which we thought about what we mean by correcting, revising, editing, proof-reading, before we each spent a short time revising what we had written.
It was such a lovely day that we elected to sit outside, which was very pleasant.
I have finally produced a calendar, using old fashioned cut and paste, ie involving scissors and glue, as I have had no success with any computer programmes to which I have had access! It reveals that we will only manage another five sessions before my next enforced break; apologies as I did say that this would be an eight week term. We will go for quality rather than quantity and to that end we have made a great start.

New Year, New Term

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the festive season.
I am looking forward to seeing members back to start Creative Writing Sessions on Friday 11 January 2013 and hope to fit in eight sessions before my next trip to UK for my routine monitoring in March.
I am planning to get you all doing a bit more actual writing this term.

We are going to start working from visual stimuli and then discuss what I am sure will be our varied responses, the styles we have chosen and the relationship between the stimulus, the style/genre/mood and other factors which influence our writing.
We will be doing some descriptive writing but hopefully describing mood and action rather than just appearance or a visual object/scene and using language other than adjectives effectively to enhance good description.
I plan to try writing about the same topic in different ways and different styles, keeping the original topic headings simple and brief to allow maximum personal choice and free association.
We will also be looking at adverbs. The received wisdom is that we should keep them to a minimum. Like many things, the are more effective and have more impact, when not overused.

If you have read and enjoyed something over the holidays, or have a favourite book that you would like to share please feel free to bring along your  recommendation and if possible bookmark/highlight a passage that exemplifies the style or gives a flavour of the story; half a page to a page in length should be enough. Recommending a book should be about explaining the style and peaking curiosity and interest, not about giving away too much of the plot!

We finished the year with a summary of the last few weeks, followed by a piece of writing with a Christmas/gifts/shopping theme and an opportunity to identify the type of openings we were being asked to choose between. Bearing in mind that one of our aims is to have fun, we had a round of 'Scattergories' followed by lunch at La Tabla. 

Thanks to all the members of the group who have faithfully turned out so regularly this year. It has been a pleasure to welcome Jim back and to meet new members Liz and May.

Seasons Greetings and A Happy New Year to all.

Creative Writing December 2012

Take a moment to cast your mind back over some of the topics we have covered:

Try to include interesting 'General Knowledge' where appropriate, but get your facts right. People like to think, 'I never knew that!' now and again as long as it isn't too contrived or pompous.

Think about creating atmosphere through the setting, the vocabulary, dialogue, language that is appropriate to the time and place.

Use quotes sparingly but to good effect to make the reader feel 'at home/comfortable' with familiar expressions and, eponyms or well known catch phrases but remember that they cannot be too 'local'. They need to be universally recognised.

It can make a piece interesting if there is the odd unusual word occasionally. Subconsciously readers may be made to feel good if they work it out from context or virtuous if they are sufficiently intrigued to look it up!

Draw the reader in quickly with an interesting opening sentence or paragraph and keep their interest by making your writing lively: using varied and expressive verbs of movement and speech can help. Try to use punctuation effectively and do not be afraid to use either long or short sentences. Both have their place.

Having assimilated all of the above in the last few weeks, and much more over time, you do not need to think consciously about it while you are writing. Hopefully you will recognise some of the techniques and examples of good practice when you read or edit your work.

Development of language

In recent sessions we have looked at some of the ways in which language changes, adopts new words or expressions, develops jargon for new inventions......
Eating our Words
We began with a quiz to identify food words, that have become part of English and their country of origin.
Most people knew that Baguette comes to us from France, Risotto and Salami are from Italy and Curry is from India. Borsch (from the Ukraine), Frangipane (from Belgium via Italy), Moussaka (originally from the Balkans and Garibaldi, the biscuit, (from UK) were a bit more difficult.
Bearing in mind the idea of  'thinking again' and not just going with their first idea the group were asked to choose a type of restaurant, as a setting and write a short story in which the atmosphere of the restaurant was created.

Eponyms Galore
In our next session we started with a short, general knowledge quiz, just to remind ourselves that it helps to have good general knowledge, if you are a writer.
We then looked at lots of eponyms, words that have come in to the language from people, real or fictional. Words such as sandwich, hoover, mackintosh, boycott are commonly known to be named after people but what about 'hooligan' from an old music hall song, from the 1890s, about a rowdy Irish family of that name?
After brainstorming a whole list, making us realise just how many there are, we had a bit of fun making up eponymous characters and setting them in a short story.

Famous Quotes
Sayings, like eponyms, become part of our language. Starting with an article about Mae West, herself an eponym (life vest) and a prolific source of great 'one liners.' .....It's not the men in my life, it's the life in my men...................'we did another little quiz, this time featuring 'who said it?' including:
God doesn't play dice.
It costs me a fortune to look this cheap.
I have a dream.
We then used a well known quote, as a title for a piece of writing.

Playing with Words
We began with a multiple choice quiz, (the last one for a while) in which the members of the group had to choose the correct definition of ten words such as babbit, fabulist, skirl.....
Then they had to work as many of the words as possible into a story

Beginnings
Looking at a list of opening sentences, some famous, some not and some simply made up for the exercise, we worked on identifying what they were supposed to be doing eg, using words to create an atmosphere, using a quotation to introduce an argument, using shock tactics and being provocative.....
Next we took some simple sentences that might be used as openings and tried to develop them stage by stage until we found the best version. Finally we all took the same opening phrase to begin a piece of writing, which was, 'My mother never.....'

Meanings, Changes in meaning and Precision
We started with the ubiquitous 'nice' a word which has changed its meaning several times and for which the Oxford English Dictionary lists 14 different senses. This set us thinking about the need to be clear and precise but also the need to be aware of the changes and evolution of words:
Gay means something very different to most people today from what it meant 50 years ago.
We looked at a few genuine howlers and clangers, just to show how easy it is sometimes to get it wrong:
In 1957 Eugene O'Neill won a Pullet Surprise. Autobiography is the history of motor cars.
Romeo's last wish was to be laid by Juliet.
Lastly we worked on a couple of boring repetitive pieces, featuring verbs of speech and verbs of movement,  to improve them and create atmosphere and interest.

The answers to the quotes and definitions; Einstein, Dolly Parton, Martin Luther King. Babbit is a soft alloy of 3 metals used for bearings: A fabulist is a composer of fables: A skirl is a shrill sound.

Come up and meet Mae West!

We have been looking at the development and evolution of language and our last session featured eponyms which come into the language from real people or sometimes fictional characters; so a 'biro' now tends to be what we call any ball point pen after Lazlo Biro the inventor; any vacuum cleaner is likely to be referred to as a 'hoover' and so on.
Still with eponyms in mind we are going to look at some famous quotes and also continuing to bear in mind the idea that a writer has some responsibility for feeding into the general knowledge of readers, so should have a good general knowledge.
After a week off, during which I have achieved an enormous amount in UK, involving medical appointments, sick visiting, Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, writing cards..... it's amazing what you can do when you only have one week, we meet again on Friday as usual.
Do you have any favourite quotes?
I like ' We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.' Who said it? See you Friday!

Think again!
In a session exploring 'settings' we looked at the idea that a setting can spark ideas for several story lines in a variety of genres, so that, for example:

A cliff top in a high wind might be a setting for a historical tale of smuggles or wreckers.....
It could be a tragic drama of illicit lovers, each planning to make their meeting on the cliff top their last but being swept over the cliff to their deaths in each other's arms ....
It might be a setting for a chic lit style story of two dog walkers who pass each other daily with only a nod or a smile but who combine, in a storm to beat the elements and discover thy have both been secretly looking for an opportunity to get to know each other....

We started with some pictures and brainstormed the genre/style they evoked for us, then went on the descriptions. In the end we all chose one setting and wrote a short piece to share and discuss.

The next session began with a list of world leaders. The ideas we were exploring were:
 'a writer needs good general knowledge, or at least it helps' and
 'a writer needs to be aware of opinions; general, conflicting, opposing, subjective...'

We looked at a list of 20 leaders, had three minutes to write down which country they were associated with then another three minutes to decide whether they were 'good' or 'bad' leaders. Everyone was told that they should decide on their own criteria.
We compared and discussed our answers, thinking about whether we were describing them with hindsight and about how our own upbringing, prejudices and opinions might colour our views.

We then wrote a piece, thinking back to the idea of 'settings' from last week, choosing a period evoked by the list.
For example Lyn produced a very well written piece about post war London, inspired by Churchill.
Marc described a young man listening to a speaker campaigning against slavery and being impressed by the, as yet unknown, Abraham Lincoln.
Sue wrote about a twelve year old boy and his father waiting to see Lenin arrive by train, on his return to Russia from exile and the boy's child-like, honest disappointment at the unimpressive figure he saw compared to his father's starry eyed hero worship.

Coming up in the next two weeks are two sessions which feature the dynamism of language, how it evolves, changes grows, and a bit more 'general knowledge:
Eating our words and
Eponyms galore

We then have a 'half term break as there will be no session on 16 November 2012

Next meeting 19 October 2012

I returned to Lanzarote on Monday 15 October and hope to see you as on Friday at the usual time, 11am, at my apartment.

Cancelled Sessions

Sadly I have to go to UK for a funeral.
Because of flight availability and prices I am afraid I am going to be away for two Fridays, 5th and 12th October.
Next session will be 19 October 2012
Hope to see you then.

Small is beautiful!

We had a smaller group this week as people had visitors and a couple still have not returned from UK but we looked at an example of a striking opening paragraph to a work in progress by one of our members, worked on a few common errors in English and found out the answer to, 'Which famous writer said that his best work was a six word story?' (which was asked in a previous blog.)

The writer was Hemingway and the story:
For sale, baby shoes, never worn.

We observed how, no matter how thoroughly we describe, how carefully we explain, there are always as many interpretations of a story as there are readers. Each reader brings something of themselves to the images and nuances of the text. Therefore, the six word story loses nothing by its brevity because it allows each reader to have a slightly different view of exactly why the shoes are unworn but nevertheless has the main ingredients of a story: a main character, or characters, action and reaction, pathos, empathy. I felt it was in a recognisable genre, as I saw it as a tragedy but Marc made us smile when he said he saw it as a comedy in which a baby was born with enormous feet! Which sort of proved the point, we all use our imagination to conjure up our version of a story.


Keeping it small we had a go at writing haiku (Based on a Japanese poetry form using 17 syllables)  before we moved to, what seemed by then quite a generous word allowance, 100 words, which non-the-less made us think about keeping our writing tight and not wasting words.

How did it go?

Week 1

We looked at some reflective pieces, done since we all met last, and examined the different styles of writing and use of language. Liz had used lots of sombre and at times quite ponderous, `over´ descriptive language to talk about her mother´s final illness. It was heavily laced with cliché, simile, alliteration and we decided that some of these literary devices might be used when it is so painful to explore your own feelings sufficiently to enable you to put them into your own words. Sometimes a cliché is needed simply because `everyone knows what it means´ and it really is the best way you can think of to transmit a feeling. It is best to avoid too many clichés particularly if the piece is to be read as opposed to listened to, they are more obvious on paper than when read out loud. Liz was writing as if speaking, telling the reader her story.

It raises a point to note: You should always consider the purpose of your writing and if preparing a speech, or anything to be read out loud do listen to it and note how it should differ from a prepared reading.

Marc´s piece was wonderfully evocative of his journey by train in Australia and captured the immediacy of writing in real time. His reflections were intrinsic to the clear description, his sense of wonder and appreciation coming across in very straightforward language with no use of cliché at all.

Sue´used a poem to deflect grief over Brian´s cancer journey, using humour and light hearted language to express admiration for Brian in a way that it would be impossible to do as straight dialogue. It allows for emotion to be expressed without becoming ´emotional´. ( Only one cliche´!)

Peter expressed his feelings well in a short piece demonstrating how much can be said in relatively few words. It was very expressive and came across as open and honest, almost like a diary entry, writing down his feelings without artifice. It seemed to be a desire to express, vent his genuine feelings rather than a desire to impress.

The writing exercise produced some varied responses, and some humour, also in reflective pieces although everyone had total choice and the brief was simply to write for 15 minutes on one of seven random headings.

Two people wrote about `Drinking Tea´, Lyn commenting on the enduring but changing nature of tea drinking amongst the British and Marc telling us about his father, a champion tea drinker whose ashes are stored in his favourite tea tin, in which every dent and smudge evokes memories.

Liz explored her fascination with `Crime´, Peter entertained us with a tale of waking up, after a boozy night to `The Smell of Nail varnish´ which he discovered he was wearing, Jackie made us laugh with a piece on `Running Water ´that began quite poetically and led to a need to run to the bathroom! Sue bemoaned the difficulties of finding appropriate `Plastic bags´.

Wrong date!!!!

Please note, the date on the previous blog is wrong. It should read 14 SEPTEMBER not December. Sorry!

Term Starts on 14 December 2012

In order to get in a minimum of eight, and possible ten sessions without a break we should start the new term on 14 September, with the option to have a couple of extras in December.
Ideas for this term include, 'Think Again,' which is about taking your first thought but giving it a twist.
We have thought about economy of language before but I bet you don't know which famous author said that his best work was a six word story! I have used Louise Doughty's column again for a couple of ideas, a three word starter and 'bad writing' which is about over use of adjectives and cliche. I am going to reuse a couple of very old sessions, as we have said before it is interesting to see how those who have seen them before tackle them as their writing has developed over time, and they will be new to some members anyway. We might have a look at verbs of movement, how many can you think of off the top of your head?

Having classes at my apartment seemed to work all right earlier in the year so I propose to hold the sessions there again, at the same time, 11.00 till 13.00 on Fridays. I have a small prize to present for the story competition from last term on Week 1. We are to have Lena back with us, arriving on the island on 27 September and hoping to join us for a couple of sessions from 28 September. (Pencil in 28 September for lunch after the session, Lena is on holiday after all!)

We could accommodate a couple of extra people, especially as one or two will not be back for the first couple of weeks. So, if you know anyone who is interested please encourage them to consider joining us. They have nothing to lose if they decide after a few sessions that it is not for them, there is no obligation to sign up for a  set number of sessions and if other commitments mean that they cannot come every week that should not be too much of a problem.

Looking forward to seeing as many as possible of the old crew on the 14th.
Sue

Due to some family problems and illnesses in UK my plan to resume Writing Group sessions on 11 May looks rather optimistic. Please keep a check on the blog and I will try to let you know, asap when I will be able to return to Lanzarote.My mum has been quite poorly and is still in hospital but I did think she was a little brighter today and we are hopeful that she will be able to return home soon. Steve's father is a different story. I have spoken to him and he sounds remarkably himself whilst saying to me that he is sure I understand that ' there is a lot of front involved'. So  I  will share the following if I may:


In the end-of-life care stage of his cancer journey Brian decided he wanted to go out on his own! No-one believed he had the strength to get onto his scooter. I had a phone-call from Steve saying he was on a stake out. He had tracked him to the garden centre and was hiding in the corner of the car park to see what he did. I had an image, which I have shared with some of you all ready of Steve peering through binoculars over the open car door with his beanie hat on, like some urban guerilla. Brian made his purchases, though he had to let Steve take them home in the car, just the purchases, not his Dad! The next day he went into the hospice. He is being amazing and has moved on from the anger. He wants to plant the flowers so that when they grow Bet will look at them and think of him. For the least sentimental or demonstrative couple I know this is some turn around!

 With apologies to Jenny Joseph this is my quick parody on a very famous, favourite poem and my little tribute to Brian:

Warning:

When I am an old geezer I shall drive a scooter

with a helmet and gauntlets that look ridiculous

I shall spend money on grow bags and plants

even if we only have a yard!

I shall park on yellow lines if I feel like it

and wave my stick at policemen and honk my horn at idiots on the road

in a gleeful, outrageous manner.

I shall wear what I want

insult who I want

and teach my grandson to spit.

 

You can sit about in your long-johns all day if you want

and smoke to your hearts content

You can drink whisky in bed

and swear at the computer

 

For years we conformed and paid the mortgage

and worried about what people think.

We socialised and kept abreast

but maybe it's time for a change;

Time to start being eccentric and vague

so people will come to expect

 to see me around, enjoying myself

running about on my scooter.

Sue Almond May 2012

For those who may not know the original:

Warning - When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

By Jenny Joseph 

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple

with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

and satin sandles, and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired

and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

and run my stick along the public railings

and make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

and pick the flowers in other people's gardens

and learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

and eat three pounds of sausages at a go

or only bread and pickles for a week

and hoard pens and pencils and beer mats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

and pay our rent and not swear in the street

and set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Summary of recent sessions

Creative Writing 2012

The last nine weeks have been very successful. I have thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and the high attendance levels and enthusiasm suggest that everyone else has enjoyed them too. Thank you everyone for being such a super group. What have we achieved? Read on:

Summary of sessions 1 – 8/9

In recent sessions we have analysed an anecdotal story and tried our hand at writing in that style. Part of what you can do with this type of story is intrigue and leave background and/or final outcome to the reader´s imagination.

In week two we looked at the potential for misunderstanding and the need for clarity but also how you could use misunderstanding as a basis for a story.

Continuing the theme of clarity we looked at positives and negatives. We observed that what one person sees as a negative might be a positive to someone else. In the written exercise we tried to focus on giving an impression from the start about whether the story and/or the main character was positive or negative. We wanted to understand the character and how s/he would view events, not just have a sequence of events, which can read like a 'list'.

We continued to focus on openings to begin session four and found that the style of the opening sentences was crucial in that when asked to continue other people's stories we had little difficulty in continuing in the same style. The style had been set in those vital first sentences, obviously something to bear in mind when we begin a new piece of work.

We then had a complete change of style and instead of stories we looked at writing for the purpose of informing through articles about the island, suitable for publication on the internet. Some of the finished articles were quite subjective but everyone found that they knew enough about some aspect of the island to write informatively and everyone learned something new, always a bonus!

In session six we explored vocabulary and figurative writing briefly before choosing to write something based on our observations and anecdotes. It was noticeable that members concentrated on extended and elaborated language following the discussion.

Week seven was all about choosing which person in which to write. Normally we write in the first or third person but it is a good exercise to try writing in the second person and makes you focus on the person and the tense of the piece.

Finally we looked at writing from a theme. A story should be about something! Characters are a good starting point but they are by no means the only ones. Taking an idea or some concept that you are interested in can result in an excellent story, or poem, because you are writing about something on which you have opinions. Your level of interest in the topic should illuminate the text.

Throughout the term I have reminded you that there are writing competitions which you might like to enter. I encourage you to consider entering because having deadlines and criteria helps to discipline your writing but if you are just doing it for fun and are not interested in competitions or publication please ignore me and enjoy your writing.

Term two will run for ten weeks, provisionally from 11 May 2012 to 13 July 2012. Please keep an eye on the blog creativewritinglanzarote.blogspot.com and your e mails for confirmation.

Writing in the second person

This week at the Creative Writing Group the members were asked to write a short piece of fiction to provide themselves with some material to 'play around with.'

They were then asked to rewrite a section of their story in the second person and, if it seemed appropriate, also change the tense. Some people thought this was going to be difficult but then found it worked well. Moving from the first person narrator or a third person narrative really made them think about ways of expressing what they wanted to say. In a couple of cases the stories presented few difficulties, they worked well. In at least one the writer was not happy with it at all: from which we concluded that second person works better for some types of stories than others. Generally it seems to work well with present tense narratives and it is useful for creating drama or in sinister mood!

The Queue

by Sue Almond

You move forward, shuffling uncomfortably as the guy behind you intrudes on your personal space. You try to create distance, without moving too close to the person in front. He turns around and you see that he looks puzzled, uneasy, almost causing you to blurt out,´You look like I feel, mate.´ Then you realise that that is literally true and, feeling uncomfortable, you look around. Behind you the line stretches out of view and there is no discernible movement. Everyone looks docile, dazed even; men, women, old and young, a scattering of children but perhaps the elderly predominating.

You realise that you do not recall how you got here, why you are in the queue or what you are waiting for. Turning to look at those in front of you you see that the head of the line is in sight. The guy before you is still looking around as if trying to work out what is going on. In front of him is a woman, decidedly agitated, eyes darting nervously around. She moves from foot to foot and begins to chew her bottom lip. Further forward there is more animation. It seems as if the closer they get to the front,

the more lively everyone becomes. They all look somewhat scared. Their excitement is not that of happy anticipation but of reluctance to reach the front of the queue where, now you can see, there is a woman dressed in a white tunic, almost like a nurse´s uniform but with no cap. She has a clip board and she is beckoning people forward one by one. You feel a sense of panic rising as you step forward again, keeping pace with the movement of the line.

Why can´t you remember what you are waiting for, how you got here? Are you suffering from amnesia? Have you had an accident or a bump on the head? Why is the queue so impossibly long? How long have you been waiting?

The panic mounts and you feel nauseous. You realise that your agitation must be obvious and feel an odd embarrassment. You accidentally catch the eye of the chap behind and he almost grins before a confused look comes over his features. You begin to suspect that no-one else knows why they are there either.

There are only two people in front of you now. Then one. It´s your turn and you are filled with dread.

Articles written by members of the writing group

Jackie has chosen to write about some of the quieter routes and beauty spots on the island:

My first visit to Lanzarote was almost 30 years ago,and I must admit my

initial impressions were not very favourable, it seemed as if I had come to a huge ash tray. After two or three days my opinions gradually changed as I warmed to the considerable charms of the island. Now of course things are very different, the bungalows which lined the “strip” have been replaced by multi-national bars, restaurants and shops.

Tourists who say there is nothing to do should hire a car and explore this beautiful island of contrasts, Lanzarote doesn’t stop at Pto. Del Carmen.

Travel south along the Playa Blanca road, take the left hand turn to Femes, a winding road up the side of a volcano to this lovely hamlet. The 18th century church in the heart of the hamlet is flanked by a very tranquil square, to be able to sit and be at peace with the world is a far cry from the usual hustle and bustle of the towns and cities. A few yards away is the lookout point, from here the views are breath taking - down across the valley to Playa Blanca and Fuerteventura beyond.

Back down to the main road, skirting the cactus lined villages of Uga and Yaiza,a visit to the villages is worth while, pop into one of the local watering holes, you won’t be disappointed.

Leaving the main road take the turning to the Timanfaya National Park, the Timanfaya Devil guarding the entrance. This is a very different island, fields of lava seem to stretch into infinity,the fabulous colours of the volcanoes, some literally with their tops blown off, looking as if a gigantic being had taken a bite out of them. I still get a shudder as I look at this awesome landscape, if you are lucky enough to see all this at sunset it is truly magical. There is a camel park where if you wish you can take a camel ride up a well trodden path, not I believe for the faint hearted. About a half mile further on is another park where cars and buses can travel to the summit where a restaurant sits the meals cooked by courtesy of the heat of the volcano, who said all the volcanoes were dormant?

Taking the road now to the heart of the island , passing through the little sleepy villages of Tinajo La Vegeta and Tao, see the farmers working the fields, some still using donkeys to help with their labours, not the noisy mechanical devices of the 21st century for them.

The Monumento al Campesino at San Bartolome is a monument erected to the dedication, tenacity and ingenuity of these farmers and their ancestors, they were able to cultivate and work the land after the devastation left by the 18th century eruptions which covered their once lush and fertile land in this region of the island.

Our next stop and the last for today, is Famara, a long road cutting down to our left off the road to Teguise. Although I love all Lanzarote this has to be my favourite. On the right side the high, dark, forbidding cliffs seem to dominate everything around until you look straight ahead at the ocean, the white foam spraying metres into the air, the small island of La Graciosa nestling in the middle of this startling, churning sea. At the end of the road is a junction, the track to the right takes you to a settlement of semi - circular Norwegian bungalows, and below the wide expanse of Playa de Famara, a beautiful golden beach, home to sun bathers, children, dogs and surfers, the latter, surf boards of every description, kite surfing, wind surfing, boogie boarding, you name it there is a board for it. La Caleta de Famara village is found by taking the road to the left at the junction. Drive onto the sandy track and park. This is akin to a “spaghetti western”, Clint Eastwood at any moment should appear on his horse . The promenade along the sea front is great, a lovely walk, and you can still see the local fishermen cleaning their day's catch in one of the many rock pools, the seagulls hovering nearby. At the end of the promenade a small lagoon and sandy beach waits, perfect for children and adults to paddle or swim. Heading back to Clint Eastwood country, I think maybe a drink, tapas or meal at one of the small bars, the food is excellent I can taste it now. I always thought of my native Yorkshire particularly the moors and dales as being “God’s Country” but I think this runs a close second, so sit and relax for a couple of hours, take in the wonderful scenery before heading back to your hotel/ apartment think about your day and where you would next like to visit - Lanzarote is full of surprises.

For the visitors who like to shop, a mini guide to some of the markets to be found all over Lanzarote.

Shopping (UK's most popular leisure activity!)

I admit to having been amazed when, several years ago, a poll discovered that shopping was Britain's most popular leisure activity. As I had never even considered it as 'leisure' I found it hard to believe. Since then however, I have witnessed the enormous numbers of people milling around in the Trafford Centre in Manchester (10,000 car parking spaces and they are still queueing to get off the motorway slip-road!) and friends who are regular cruisers tell me of passengers who disembark in foreign ports on Sundays and return to the ship grumbling because, 'The shops were shut, there was nothing to do.' So, I guess it must be true.

I have met tourists on Lanzarote who ask, 'Where are the shops?' and I suspect some of them at least are looking for Marks and Sparks, as they are usually in Costa Teguise or Puerto del Carmen at the time and the tourist shops are not exactly hidden away! I have pointed them towards the Biosfera and Deiland, which are the nearest things we have to a shopping mall, and told them about Arrecife, where there are some lovely shops (remember to avoid siesta time as most shops in Arrecife still close). But my most successful recommendations have been the markets.

It seems, if there are no large department stores or retail parks then the best remedy for those in need of retail therapy is a market, and let's face it, if you have come to Lanzarote on holiday you probably like the sunshine and fresh air so an outdoor market should fit the bill.

The largest market on the island is the Sunday market in Teguise. The whole town is closed to traffic and stalls fill the cobbled streets and squares with an abundance of wares and a delightful atmosphere. You will find quite a few bargains if you are looking for gifts and souvenirs and it is worth having a go at bartering as you may well be able to negotiate a discount. There is always pan-pipe music in the square by the church and usually a display of Canarian dancing and singing, donkey rides, outdoor snack stalls and don't forget the traditional bars and the normal shops, which you will find open as well. Teguise, the old capital in the centre of the island, is well worth a visit for its architecture and history, quaint narrow streets and shops and bars, on any day of the week but the Sunday market is a must for the first-time tourist. It finishes at 2pm so book a coach, take a taxi or just get on the local bus before 11 am or you will not have time to see it all!

There is an evening market in Costa Teguise on Fridays, in Pueblo Marinero from 6pm till 10pm. Much smaller and featuring several artisan stalls the square has a delightful ambience and the stalls are surrounded by a varied selection of bars and restaurants; Spanish, Italian, Mexican, English, French, Indian and Chinese spring immediately to mind, in the square itself or within 100 meters.

On Saturdays there is a plethora of markets; in Haria, the town where Cesar Manrique is buried, 9am till 2.30pm in the Plaza. Also in Arrecife, in Plaza Iglesia de San Gines, 9am till 2pm. Uga has a traditional market, 10am till 2pm and you might be able to fit in two if you continue south to Playa Blanca where the market is held in the delightful Marina Rubicon on Saturdays and also on Wednesdays. There are some very attractive shops in the marina area too. La Recova Market is in Plaza Anfiteatro El Pavon in Tias is10am till 2pm on Saturdays and there is a second hand/souvenir market at the same time in Playa Honda.

If you fancy something quieter, low key and more traditional on Sunday morning, the little Farmers' Market in Mancha Blanca offers really fresh local produce at excellent prices and on Tuesday and Friday mornings there is an artisans' market in Puerto Calero.

And, if all that shopping makes you tired and thirsty, you will never be far from a cafe/bar. Enjoy.

Lanzarote Creative Writing Group at work.

Despite the Bank Holiday we had a good session this week, focusing on figurative language and using it in short stories that came out of our notebooks and observations.

Jackie wrote a hilarious piece about a lady campanologist whose knicker-elastic snapped during a peal!

Ann went to town on alliteration with a bit of situational irony at the end.

Sandie wrote an entertaining account of a dog living a double life, using some great vocabulary. Helen, Marc and Sue also chose the hobo/dog starting point, writing very different pieces about Blas, a real dog who wanders Puerto del Carmen, a 'dustbin dog' strolling through his patch in Arrecife and a nameless, canine observer of human behaviour.

Liz chose to write about a relationship ending and made good use of simile and extended vocabulary whilst Lyn amazed us all with an ominous tale of kidnap in a jazz bar (she usually writes gentler tales and children's stories!)

Hoping to tax them a bit next week when they are going to be asked to write in the first, third and second person!

Two more articles about Lanzarote from last week:

Easy Walking on Lanzarote’s Footpaths

Lanzarote has many walking opportunities to suit all ages, abilities and levels of experience. For a small island such as this is, the choice is really extensive and the main problem is choosing where to begin! The good news is that you don’t have to embark on a full day’s trek in the more remote areas of the island to experience its peace and tranquillity, and wealth of fascinating flora and fauna.

In Costa Teguise, for example, which is a purpose built resort in the south of the island, there is a series of way marked walks on footpaths in and around the town. Ranging in length from 4.5 to 10 kilometres, these provide an excellent starting point and can prove to be a source of delight and interest for the first time visitor, seasoned traveller or full time resident alike. Walking these easily accessible and non demanding routes, you will quickly get a flavour of many of the island’s special attributes whilst getting some beneficial exercise and the wonderful fresh air of Lanzarote.

An information leaflet and map clearly displaying the walks can be obtained from the Tourist Office, located in the delightful, Cesar Manrique designed Pueblo Marinero, which is easily located in the centre of the town, near the seafront. There are also larger maps and information boards in various places along the promenade/cycle path that hugs the shoreline here, passing a number of beautiful and varied local beaches. All the walks are circular so, in theory, you can pick them up at any point along the way, but the logical place to start is at the seafront where there are ample opportunities for refreshments, before or after your walk, in a number of local bars, cafes and restaurants.

Each footpath is way marked for the vast majority of its route and, where signs appear to have run out or may have been removed, the way forward is still easily identifiable, as the footpaths are all made up of the same, small grade material and edged with lava rocks of various hues. As well as walkers, you will often see hardy mountain bikers and energetic joggers along the way, especially on the shorter routes. The longest (10k) route is the one to opt for if you are seeking peace and tranquillity. This one also affords a couple of breathtaking viewpoints of the coastline and outlying settlements of “sugar cube” houses.

On any of the walks, you are sure to spot examples of the wealth of flora and fauna of the island, some of which are unique to this special place. Lizards, geckos, butterflies and birds abound wherever you go. Where the footpaths meander through the more central areas of the town, they are edged by, or traverse, plantations of palm trees, cacti and succulent varieties of plants native to the island. In the more tranquil surroundings of the longest walk, you may also be rewarded by the sight of a local rabbit or partridge scurrying for cover, a busy hoopoe bird pecking at insects or a kestrel hovering majestically overhead.

All this in just one of the islands small, tourist towns and the whole island beyond still awaiting your exploring footsteps!

and from Liz:

The Natural Beauty I See All Around Me. Where Am I? Lanzarote Of Course.

I would recommend visiting this beautiful Island. Having lived in Lanzarote for just over a year now, it is a paradise Island, very enjoyable without costing the earth.

The natural beauty of the Island is what I want to promote. I wake up every morning to the sun's warm welcome shining through the window, the rays filtering through the light cotton curtains and resting softly upon my duvet cover.

Waking up to a new day I am never depressed. My visual senses are wonderfully flooded as I look out on the mid morning view. Majestic mountain range set on the background of a beautiful blue sky, accompanied by a few unthreatening clouds as it rarely rains.

A stroll down to the beach after a light fruit filled breakfast is a treat in itself. The scenery is breathtaking, a must for any photographer. The sea in the distance is a welcoming friend, like blue marble in motion, reflecting the light from the risen sun, giving it an enlightening sight. It is so beautiful and calming upon the senses, serene on still days and energetically choppy on windy days. It possesses such character and is a pleasure to observe its movement.

The sand is volcanic and is darker in places giving it a unique appearance, different from the usual beaches that I am used to seeing back at home in England. In the old town of Puerto Del Carmen near the harbour there is a lovely little quaint beach, Playa Chico, with its rocks and volcanic sand it is small and cosy. I have swum in the sea on this beach and it is amazing. There are rocks to avoid in the water. I walk round the rocks and then I find the water is suddenly deeper and calm. It is so clear that I can see the fish swimming round my legs. What a wonderful encounter with nature.

Then along the main strip moving away from the old town, there is a long stretch of beaches all the way to Los Pocillos. There are also the calm waters of Playa Blanca.

The Papagaya beaches in the south of the Island are in a protected natural reserve, I have read that these beaches are amazing. One of the beaches is of Playa de las Colaradas.

Then there are the scenic beaches in Costa Tequise with its calm waters including the beach of El Jabililo.

The mountains are a wonderful sight. A National Park which is one of Spain’s most popular is Timanfaya or The Fire Mountains. The mountains view is all around you in Lanzarote. Fiery eruptions gave birth to the Island. I live in the old town in Puerto Del Carmen and the view of the mountains in the distance is so picturesque, like looking at a painting and slowly stepping into it as the reality of its beauty surrounds you.

I hope your heart is won over.

Writing about Lanzarote

Everyone in our writing group has either chosen the island as their home or is a frequent visitor. The task set last week was to write an article about one aspect of the island we all love.
Here are a couple of examples of the finished articles by Lyn and Sandie:

Lanzarote is a small Island, one of the seven that makes up the Canary Islands. Although we are Spanish we are nowhere near Spain. We are situated some 60 miles from the African coast and benefit from a sub tropical climate.
Lanzarote is almost certainly the prettiest of the Islands, conforming to the late Cesar Manrique´s ideas, which were laid down in law, that dwellings should all be height restricted and painted either white or cream. Paintwork on windows, doors etc may be green or blue or natural wood. There are historical reasons to the green or blue; farmers had green and fishermen had blue on their houses. This has been lost in as much as anybody can be whatever colour, providing it is green or blue, and now the myriad villas and apartment complex´s conform making the island look like it is covered by lots of sugar cubes on the countryside, very pretty.
We have unconventional beauty naturally, the mountains and countryside are lacking in greenery, due to our climate, but the stunning array of browns, beiges and greys and black can be breathtaking, particularly when the sun is setting behind the mountains and they take on a completely ethereal magnificence. Something that has to be seen to be appreciated.
We have beaches ranging through white sand to gold and completely black, each beautiful and magnificent when viewed against the blue blue skies and sea. The sea is clear affording stunning sights of underwater life, and perfect for swimming and diving.
If dining out is your passion, Lanzarote is definitely the place for you. Thousands, yes, quite literally thousands, of restaurants and bars offer world class cuisine of every possible type from cheap pub grub to gourmet dining of the highest standard. Something to suit all budgets and tastes, children’s dishes are readily available everywhere too and the children are always welcomed.
Entertainment may be found in the evenings, again, to suit all tastes and ages. If a quiet evening with a glass of Sangria and sea breezes is your thing, then that is well catered for also. All age groups are welcome and feel very at home on Lanzarote. Night clubs are normally situated close to each other but nothing on the scale of Ibiza or Magaluf. It is not unusual to see parents and even Grandparents in these clubs along with the younger generations enjoying the music and having a ´boogie´.
If you should choose to explore the Island, you will discover that it is only 38miles long and 13 miles wide. There are seven main tourist attractions including our ´live´ volcano (where you can choose to enjoy a meal cooked over the heat of it in a dedicated restaurant), underground caves, a high viewing point overlooking our sister Island La Graciosa . Everywhere you drive to there are breathtaking views and (almost) always a view of the sea in the distance. Look carefully and, in spite of our hot dry weather, you can find numerous wild flowers bravely smiling up at the sun. Of course, we normally get a wet season around February time. Don’t let this put you off. A heavy shower can become history ten minutes after it has come down, due to the ground being so warm it dries it immediately. It is a rare occurrence indeed to get a day with no sunshine. Our winter temperatures average 21c daytime and rarely dip below double figures at night. Summer is very pleasant and, although it can peak at 40c it is more likely to be a comfortable 35 ish and as we have a constant breeze it does not feel stiflingly warm as some Mediterranean countries can.

Four and a half hours from the UK by plane, our beautiful Paradise Island is waiting to welcome you!
Lyn
April 2012


Easy Walking on Lanzarote’s Footpaths

Lanzarote has many walking opportunities to suit all ages, abilities and levels of experience. For a small island such as this is, the choice is really extensive and the main problem is choosing where to begin! The good news is that you don’t have to embark on a full day’s trek in the more remote areas of the island to experience its peace and tranquillity, and wealth of fascinating flora and fauna.

In Costa Teguise, for example, which is a purpose built resort in the south of the island, there is a series of way marked walks on footpaths in and around the town. Ranging in length from 4.5 to 10 kilometres, these provide an excellent starting point and can prove to be a source of delight and interest for the first time visitor, seasoned traveller or full time resident alike. Walking these easily accessible and non demanding routes, you will quickly get a flavour of many of the island’s special attributes whilst getting some beneficial exercise and the wonderful fresh air of Lanzarote.

An information leaflet and map clearly displaying the walks can be obtained from the Tourist Office, located in the delightful, Cesar Manrique designed Pueblo Marinero, which is easily located in the centre of the town, near the seafront. There are also larger maps and information boards in various places along the promenade/cycle path that hugs the shoreline here, passing a number of beautiful and varied local beaches. All the walks are circular so, in theory, you can pick them up at any point along the way, but the logical place to start is at the seafront where there are ample opportunities for refreshments, before or after your walk, in a number of local bars, cafes and restaurants.

Each footpath is way marked for the vast majority of its route and, where signs appear to have run out or may have been removed, the way forward is still easily identifiable, as the footpaths are all made up of the same, small grade material and edged with lava rocks of various hues. As well as walkers, you will often see hardy mountain bikers and energetic joggers along the way, especially on the shorter routes. The longest (10k) route is the one to opt for if you are seeking peace and tranquillity. This one also affords a couple of breathtaking viewpoints of the coastline and outlying settlements of “sugar cube” houses.

On any of the walks, you are sure to spot examples of the wealth of flora and fauna of the island, some of which are unique to this special place. Lizards, geckos, butterflies and birds abound wherever you go. Where the footpaths meander through the more central areas of the town, they are edged by, or traverse, plantations of palm trees, cacti and succulent varieties of plants native to the island. In the more tranquil surroundings of the longest walk, you may also be rewarded by the sight of a local rabbit or partridge scurrying for cover, a busy hoopoe bird pecking at insects or a kestrel hovering majestically overhead.

All this in just one of the islands small, tourist towns and the whole island beyond still awaiting your exploring footsteps!

Sandie
April 2012

There are more to come, on the quieter beaches on the island, getting around the island by bus, facilities for the disabled, fiestas through the year......

Despite the fact that it is Good Friday this week the group voted to have a session as usual which is very gratifying.
Don't forget your notebooks!