Image Map

Gran Canaria! Hoody Hoo!

So we made it to Aida's spot in Gran Canaria.  She's got a super rad apartment overlooking the ocean near Playa del Ingles, in the south of the island.  We put our stuff down and went out for a cruise on the boardwalk.





Spain is full of street art.  Sick graffiti everywhere.  Here on the island are a lot of these sand artists.  Super elaborate sand statues!  Really sick!


Troy.... Funny fuckin' cat... He was doing this nose manny and I started calling him "Surf God".  Hysterical!  He did this nose manny 50 times and every time he looked like a surf god!!  While shredding, the UGLIEST, OLDEST white couples walked by and sneered at us skating.  This part of the island is FULL of German tourists and NOBODY else.  It was really weird.  Literally, we were the only younger people around.



Playa Del Ingles


The next day, we decided to take a bus up to the capitol of Gran Canaria, Las Palmas.  Troy and I planned to shred around the city and visit some of the parks there.  I had broken my skate in Fuerte, so we were also on the hunt for a shop.


The transportation in general is so cheap for the long distances you go.  This bus ride was about 45 minutes and only cost 2.10 euros, which is more or less 3.50 USD.  It's really rad and super motivating to explore new spots.  America needs to get it straight.


We got to Las Palmas and started scouring the streets for a second hand thrift store and a skate shop. 


A really cool aspect of Spain is street artists put up their pieces and the government doesn't paint over them.  This attitude towards a person's art maintains a mutual respect that creates well done art pieces versus shitty name tagging and heinous crossouts walls, i.e. Los Angeles, which is littered with different shades of white paint covering a person's superhero name.  People take pride in their art and make it nice enough to actually enjoy no matter your age, occupation, etc...  Well done Spain!




We came across this park amongst our search.  It was pretty bad ass.  Concrete, colorful, not a lot of people.  Perfect!  You're pouring sweat in 10 though!


Being the main city of the island, this boardwalk had even more elaborate sand art, which for most tourists is worth tossing a euro to see and photograph.  Many of these sculptures had political or life messages carved in them.  This one would never fly in the states.  Some whack citizen would either snitch and complain or even try to sue because THEY didn't like it.  But "Different strokes for different folks" seems to be the motto out in Europe.





This beach is packed with leathery skinned humans.


This thing was just on the bluff spinning around.  Super sick!






We went to the second hand store and CAME UP.  Everything was 1 euro.  Everything.  Best spot.  Aida met her friend while Troy, Mary, and I looked up the hillside and chose to cruise through these neighborhoods of colorful homes.  We wanted to get to high ground to scope the city as a whole.


I love the graffiti....  So much better than seeing "Lil' Joker" blasted on the side of a toilet stall.  People here actually got shit to say...


This neighborhood had a lot of make shift homes and doors that were once upon a time the entrance to a house.  Homemade barbed wire too... Broken glass bottles cemented at the top of a wall.. Recycling is cool.




Las Palmas is known for its plantains, or bananas.  The BEST bananas.  Here is  one of the many fields.






As we were navigating through the labyrinth of narrow walkways, locals were checking out the two long haired white boys and tall Catalana taking photos of their zones.  We meant no harm.  We would've been hyped to chill with them anyway.  Some folks stopped us to talk.  Troy would tell them he was Australian, I was from the states, and Mary was from Catalunya.  Good thing we had Mary to keep us rootsy.  Hahaha..





"Less Junkies and More Bananas"  True Shit.




Last Days of Fuerte Que Suerte!

We were down to our last couple of days in Fuerteventura.  After an amazing sunrise we headed out for another drive.  We wanted to explore the southern part of the island which we hadn't been to yet.  First we stopped for a meal and a trip to the store to gather some supplies for the day.


 Aida and I were in the store getting things and caught this epic shot of Mary outside having a mini siesta.  She's a gypsy woman right here!! We were cracking up at the sight!!!


We kept moving, on the hunt for a proper beach to chill at.  We saw this spot which was SUPER windy, making it perfect for the kiteboarders to come out and do their thing.  They were incredible!  Those dudes catch a wind current, blast off waves, and launch 20+ feet in the air!! So sick!!


We kept mobbing...


All throughout the island are roundabouts, decorated with random art!  This one was absolutely awesome!!! I don't know the significance of it but you can let your mind do some imagining....



We finally made it to Jandia for a swim.  As most, if not all, of the beaches in Spain are nude beaches, this one was chock full of old naked white people, dotted with some "younger" (under 40) persons burning in the sun.  It was kinda haggard... ahahah.. But super fun nonetheless...




After the swim, we followed the map en route to the tip of the island.  We stumbled across a gypsy village, occupied by native cabras.  These things were gnarly!  Look at this bag!!! ahahhahahh!! Mary and Aida were hanging out the car, yelling "BAAAAAAA!!! BAAAAAAAA!!!".  Troy got out and grabbed a goat skull and brought it home with him... That shit's hi-jinx though... ahah.. I told him, "Don't let that shit touch me or any of my things.."  They told me i watch too many movies.. ahahh!


We had to turn around and find a different route to the lighthouse at the tip of the island and came across this skatepark.  The ramps were pretty shit but we had a quick shred which is always a good time.


We made it to the lighthouse at Punta de Jandia!  The very most southern part of the island!  It was so rad!  The ground was made up of black volcanic stones and the views were incredible!


Self shots are hard to take and usually turn out pretty lame... ahhaha! This lady was really going for it!!





As we were bailing there was a whole little makeshift town made up of vans, trucks, and other random vehicles put together to form houses!  That's straight up gypsy shit!! So sick..


After the cruise, we went back to Tito's place for another night in Giniginimar.  The next day we had to make our way back to Corralejo but I would've stayed at Tito's forever.  Nicest place I've ever been...



We took a little scenic route back to the northern side.... Epic views everywhere on the island...  We came across this salt reserve.  There are little white dots in the top of this photo that are piles of salt extracted from these squares..  Super tight!


I think this whale got dried out from the salt.


We hopped back in the car and mobbed to a beach just south of Corralejo for a little swim and chill time.  there was crystal clear water and rock walls to protect you from the wind while you siesta... The four of us piled in a horseshoe of rocks and passed out for a while.




When we got to Javi's place, he was at his homie's ramp that was built inside his house!!


the next morning, we loaded up on the plane... Off to Gran Canaria!!  Gracias, Fuerte!  Until next time.....