TRAVERSE 139
TRAVEL- CANARY ISLANDS
ANTONIO FEMIA & ALESSANDRA REALE
MAYBE NEXT TIME!
A piece of Africa planted in the Atlantic Ocean, 150 kilometers off the coast of Morocco and just a few hours’ flight from Italy. At first glance, it seems like a tourist trap, but the reality is quite different.
The trade winds greeted us right outside the airport at sunset, immediately establishing who was in charge on these arid lands. On a bus, or guagua as it’ s called here, we made our way to the Urbanización Matagorda, just outside Puerto del Carmen, passing through a skyline of low white houses with the occasional taller hotel poking up.
It’ s not just the mild, stable climate that makes this island a popular destination for retirees from all over Europe: the awareness of ageing and the respect for disabilities are evident on every street corner, with hotels proudly displaying awards and accessibility certifications. Many British and
Central European pensioners choose to settle here for this very reason. Matagorda is mostly a collection of tourist facilities, and any doubt about that was dispelled by the presence of the eponymous shopping centre. Among Irish pubs, Italian trattorias, and Chinese restaurants, the only major absence was local cuisine.
Taking the concierge ' s suggestion at the Nautilus, we put aside our doubts with an excellent sushi dinner. The impression that we were in a tourist trap, complete with all the comforts of home, became almost a certainty as we crossed Puerto del Carmen, filled with bars and souvenir shops and teeming with pale, blonde, Englishspeaking tourists. The rental shop La Esquina de la Moto had set aside a Kawasaki KLE 500 for us, an old model, but in great condition, and soon we were out of the town centre, cruising down a perfectly paved road surprisingly devoid of traffic.
TRAVERSE 139