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!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Writing Articles
I am happy to report that everyone had done their homework on 23 March! As it isn't compulsory, and everyone has such busy lives these days, I think that is very creditable. We had three stories beginning with the same first line, all developing differently but starting from the same opening, set in Paris. Two people chose the opening about meeting at a railway station. Liz, who was absent on 16 March, read us a story which was homework from the previous week, on which she had clearly spent a lot of time. Well done everybody.
After a little 'What is it? Where is it?' quiz, identifying places from photographs taken around the island, we discussed writing articles about Lanzarote.
Lyn brought a photo of a field of camomile flowers, for example, which we realised could stimulate a whole selection of ideas; flora and fauna of the island, useful plants and herbs which can be found growing wild, seasons and the delight of springtime on a volcanic island or just simply a description of the colour and beauty that surrounds us.
I look forward to posting the finished items which promise to include the following: Fiestas throughout the year, finding the quieter places, walking and/or cycling, seeing the island by bus, shopping and the local markets etc. etc.
If you are coming along on Friday (30 March) don't forget your notebooks, the ones that you use to jot down things you have heard or observed and ideas for stories that occur to you.
Reminders:
You are invited to submit entries for the Lanzarote Creative Group Short Story Competition, 200 - 500 words by Friday 20 April 2012. You can e mail entries, send them as an attachment or bring them to class. Please put your name on your entry and include a word count.
Entries for the Telegraph Short Story Competition, up to 2,000 words on any subject should be sent by e mail to storycomp@telegraph.co.uk by the last day of the month.
Lanzarote, unspoilt island
It is a fact that there is only one 'high -rise' building on the whole of the island of Lanzarote. The Gran Hotel in Arrecife, the capital, stands out as an easily identifiable landmark from land, sea and air.
One of the reasons why so much of the island remains unspoiled is the influence of the Lanzarote born artist, César Manrique. He and his contemporaries devoted their energies to ensuring that Lanzarote did not become overdeveloped. He spearheaded the movement to promote sustainable growth, allowing the island to retain its unique character whilst catering for the tourist trade, which is the lifeblood of the island's economy.
Seven places of exceptional beauty exist on the island because of his vision and skills as an artist and architect. The Manrique Foundation is his legacy and exists to maintain these monuments and to monitor development on the island. Local laws make it illegal to alter the typical Canarian buildings around the coastline and traditional building methods and materials are encouraged all over the island. The charm and character of the little towns and villages remains unspoiled and even the tourist resorts have been tastefully developed to combine the needs of the tourist trade with respect for the island's beauty and its status as a Biospheric Zone.
The population today, of around 120,000, includes many English residents, slightly fewer German, and a smaller number from elsewhere, who have visited the island and found their perfect second home or ideal retirement place in the sun.
The local people are friendly and welcoming and the pace of life is relaxed and enjoyable. Traffic jams are few and the crime rate is low compared to other places in Europe. The climate is pleasant all year round with gentle breezes to offset the heat of the sun in the summer and minimal rainfall in winter, when the temperature rarely falls below 12 degrees centigrade even during the night.
There is virtually no heavy industry on the island and that means minimal air pollution.
Lanzarote is the most easterly of the Canary Islands. It lies 100km (60miles) off the coast of Africa, is 60 km from North to south and 20km at its widest point. Despite its relatively small size it is extremely varied and interesting with a rich history and culture. Since the 15th Century it has been a province of Spain. The south of the island is dominated by the spectacular volcanoes which resulted from the eruptions on the 18th century.
The volcanoes in the north are much older and the plant life and appearance of the landscape are quite different. It is worth noting that despite being a volcanic island there has been no loss of life directly resulting from volcanic activity on the island in recorded history. The volcanoes are of the Hawaiian, or Stromboli, type which give ample warning over weeks, or even months, of impending eruption and every device invented exists on the island to monitor the volcanic activity.
Sue Almond
After a little 'What is it? Where is it?' quiz, identifying places from photographs taken around the island, we discussed writing articles about Lanzarote.
Lyn brought a photo of a field of camomile flowers, for example, which we realised could stimulate a whole selection of ideas; flora and fauna of the island, useful plants and herbs which can be found growing wild, seasons and the delight of springtime on a volcanic island or just simply a description of the colour and beauty that surrounds us.
I look forward to posting the finished items which promise to include the following: Fiestas throughout the year, finding the quieter places, walking and/or cycling, seeing the island by bus, shopping and the local markets etc. etc.
If you are coming along on Friday (30 March) don't forget your notebooks, the ones that you use to jot down things you have heard or observed and ideas for stories that occur to you.
Reminders:
You are invited to submit entries for the Lanzarote Creative Group Short Story Competition, 200 - 500 words by Friday 20 April 2012. You can e mail entries, send them as an attachment or bring them to class. Please put your name on your entry and include a word count.
Entries for the Telegraph Short Story Competition, up to 2,000 words on any subject should be sent by e mail to storycomp@telegraph.co.uk by the last day of the month.
Lanzarote, unspoilt island
It is a fact that there is only one 'high -rise' building on the whole of the island of Lanzarote. The Gran Hotel in Arrecife, the capital, stands out as an easily identifiable landmark from land, sea and air.
One of the reasons why so much of the island remains unspoiled is the influence of the Lanzarote born artist, César Manrique. He and his contemporaries devoted their energies to ensuring that Lanzarote did not become overdeveloped. He spearheaded the movement to promote sustainable growth, allowing the island to retain its unique character whilst catering for the tourist trade, which is the lifeblood of the island's economy.
Seven places of exceptional beauty exist on the island because of his vision and skills as an artist and architect. The Manrique Foundation is his legacy and exists to maintain these monuments and to monitor development on the island. Local laws make it illegal to alter the typical Canarian buildings around the coastline and traditional building methods and materials are encouraged all over the island. The charm and character of the little towns and villages remains unspoiled and even the tourist resorts have been tastefully developed to combine the needs of the tourist trade with respect for the island's beauty and its status as a Biospheric Zone.
The population today, of around 120,000, includes many English residents, slightly fewer German, and a smaller number from elsewhere, who have visited the island and found their perfect second home or ideal retirement place in the sun.
The local people are friendly and welcoming and the pace of life is relaxed and enjoyable. Traffic jams are few and the crime rate is low compared to other places in Europe. The climate is pleasant all year round with gentle breezes to offset the heat of the sun in the summer and minimal rainfall in winter, when the temperature rarely falls below 12 degrees centigrade even during the night.
There is virtually no heavy industry on the island and that means minimal air pollution.
Lanzarote is the most easterly of the Canary Islands. It lies 100km (60miles) off the coast of Africa, is 60 km from North to south and 20km at its widest point. Despite its relatively small size it is extremely varied and interesting with a rich history and culture. Since the 15th Century it has been a province of Spain. The south of the island is dominated by the spectacular volcanoes which resulted from the eruptions on the 18th century.
The volcanoes in the north are much older and the plant life and appearance of the landscape are quite different. It is worth noting that despite being a volcanic island there has been no loss of life directly resulting from volcanic activity on the island in recorded history. The volcanoes are of the Hawaiian, or Stromboli, type which give ample warning over weeks, or even months, of impending eruption and every device invented exists on the island to monitor the volcanic activity.
Sue Almond
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Latest update
After a fun session on Friday 16/03 members took away four story ideas started in class. If you have time please continue one of the stories to share with the group next week.
Don't forget you need a photo of someone or somewhere on the island that might be a starting point for writing something about Lanzarote.
Also remember, you need to keep up your note books and bring them along to share interesting comments and anecdotes that could be a stimulus for a story.
Don't forget you need a photo of someone or somewhere on the island that might be a starting point for writing something about Lanzarote.
Also remember, you need to keep up your note books and bring them along to share interesting comments and anecdotes that could be a stimulus for a story.
Friday, March 9, 2012
How is it going so far?
Week one of 2012 saw members of the Creative Writing Group discussing an anecdotal short story before having a go at writing one. An anecdotal story does not necessarily have a narrative structure that includes a conventional beginning, middle and end. The idea is to dive straight into the story, at the point where the event or anecdote you are telling us about begins, without background or lead up to that point.
Week two saw us writing short stories that revolved around misunderstandings, and began with some howlers and examples of ambiguity in published works!
Week three left us with a homework exercise: to continue a story from a synopsis and opening written in class. Our starting point was 'Positives and Negatives' and we looked at how good things can come from bad and/or vice versa.
Will Lyn's character find a way out of her mounting financial difficulties?
Will Helen's heroine, who risked her own life to save a child, make a full recovery?
Is Sandie's main character, facing redundancy going, to decide that this was a wakeup call and go off travelling before it is too late?
How is the child, in Marc's story, waiting nervously for his music exam going to fare?
What happens as Sue's characters start to blame each other for the multi-car pile up in a busy street?
If you think this sounds like fun you need to be there next week to join in and find out what happens.
Week four will focus on openings and first lines, our own and a few famous ones!
Don't forget we are working towards a short story competition within the group (200 - 500 words) and entries in the Telegraph Short Story Competition (up to 2,000 words and a £500 first prize).
In the next couple of weeks or so we need to be offering things to the group from our notebooks, ie things that we have seen, overheard, been told etc that we have jotted down as possibly providing a stimulus for a story idea.
Also look out for a picture or photograph of someone or something on the island of Lanzarote that you might like to write about.
Hope to see you there, Fridays 11.00 till 13.00 in Costa Teguise.
Week two saw us writing short stories that revolved around misunderstandings, and began with some howlers and examples of ambiguity in published works!
Week three left us with a homework exercise: to continue a story from a synopsis and opening written in class. Our starting point was 'Positives and Negatives' and we looked at how good things can come from bad and/or vice versa.
Will Lyn's character find a way out of her mounting financial difficulties?
Will Helen's heroine, who risked her own life to save a child, make a full recovery?
Is Sandie's main character, facing redundancy going, to decide that this was a wakeup call and go off travelling before it is too late?
How is the child, in Marc's story, waiting nervously for his music exam going to fare?
What happens as Sue's characters start to blame each other for the multi-car pile up in a busy street?
If you think this sounds like fun you need to be there next week to join in and find out what happens.
Week four will focus on openings and first lines, our own and a few famous ones!
Don't forget we are working towards a short story competition within the group (200 - 500 words) and entries in the Telegraph Short Story Competition (up to 2,000 words and a £500 first prize).
In the next couple of weeks or so we need to be offering things to the group from our notebooks, ie things that we have seen, overheard, been told etc that we have jotted down as possibly providing a stimulus for a story idea.
Also look out for a picture or photograph of someone or something on the island of Lanzarote that you might like to write about.
Hope to see you there, Fridays 11.00 till 13.00 in Costa Teguise.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Writing Group reconvenes after break!
The writing group starts again, the first of a block of eight weekly classes, on Friday 23 February 2012 (1100H - 13.00H)in Costa Teguise to be followed, after Easter by a series of 10 week blocks.
Over the eight weeks topics will include:
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
First Lines - how important are they? What do they give away, tone, genre, style, setting .........?
Positives and negatives.
Beginning/middle/end?
What can you make of this? (Openings, titles, single word starters.....
Short Story Competition (up to 200 words)
For more information and details of venue please phone Sue 630 751 106 or ask at The Book Shop, Costa Teguise.
Over the eight weeks topics will include:
Say what you mean and mean what you say.
First Lines - how important are they? What do they give away, tone, genre, style, setting .........?
Positives and negatives.
Beginning/middle/end?
What can you make of this? (Openings, titles, single word starters.....
Short Story Competition (up to 200 words)
For more information and details of venue please phone Sue 630 751 106 or ask at The Book Shop, Costa Teguise.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Short Story Competition
Louise Doughty, author of six novels, five plays for radio and 'A Novel in a Year,' has now introduced, through her column in the Telegraph, a writing club where you can get feedback from Louise and swap work and tips with other writers. To join visit www.telegraph.co.uk/books
To enter a monthly short-story competition you can e mail your story, no longer than 2,000 words, on any subject, to storycomp@telegraph.co.uk by the last calendar day of each month.
All stories must be original work and the winner will be announced by Louise in her column in the Saturday Telegraph.
The competition was launched on 14 January so there is still plenty on time to get in an entry for the first month if you have a story ready, or one you could polish up in in time. If you cannot get a story ready for January's competition then you might like to work on an entry for February.
Good Luck!
Novels by Louise Doughty:
Crazy Paving
Dance with me
Honey Dew
Fires in the Dark
Stone Cradle
Whatever you Love
To enter a monthly short-story competition you can e mail your story, no longer than 2,000 words, on any subject, to storycomp@telegraph.co.uk by the last calendar day of each month.
All stories must be original work and the winner will be announced by Louise in her column in the Saturday Telegraph.
The competition was launched on 14 January so there is still plenty on time to get in an entry for the first month if you have a story ready, or one you could polish up in in time. If you cannot get a story ready for January's competition then you might like to work on an entry for February.
Good Luck!
Novels by Louise Doughty:
Crazy Paving
Dance with me
Honey Dew
Fires in the Dark
Stone Cradle
Whatever you Love
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Writers wanted
Hi. Happy New Year!
Rita at the book shop is now working for the Lanzarote Business Association. She is looking for volunteers to write articles for their website. There is no money involved I'm afraid but it is all quotable experience on the old CV! Any writing is good practice and seeing your name in print anywhere is always encouraging and confidence boosting.
If anyone is interested you can get more information from Rita but basically the possibilities are endless. The items should be positive towards Lanzarote but she says they could include anything, even book or film reviews. Rita's e mail address is ritabellamy@gmail.com
Regards
Sue
Rita at the book shop is now working for the Lanzarote Business Association. She is looking for volunteers to write articles for their website. There is no money involved I'm afraid but it is all quotable experience on the old CV! Any writing is good practice and seeing your name in print anywhere is always encouraging and confidence boosting.
If anyone is interested you can get more information from Rita but basically the possibilities are endless. The items should be positive towards Lanzarote but she says they could include anything, even book or film reviews. Rita's e mail address is ritabellamy@gmail.com
Regards
Sue
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