During Pentecoast I had the opportunity to travel for ten days to one of my favorite places on our planet: Fuerteventura, the island of wind, sun and rocks! Many who visit Fuerteventura for the first time are sobered by how harsh and barren the landscape is, but for me there is no better place to switch off, relax and (re)sharpen my senses for what is essential and what is noise.
I have been to Fuerteventura a few times, but this time I had my accommodation for the first time in Corralejo at the northern tip of the island. Just vis-a-vis to the Isla de Lobos. The small offshore island rose from the sea just 10'000 years ago during the last eruptions of the volcanoes on the main island. Most likely no one witnessed this spectacle, because the first settlement took place around 3000 BC, when African Berbers set out with boats across the strait between Africa (today's Morocco) and Fuerteventura. At least no artefacts had been found until today documenting an even earlier arrival of men.
And it was the Isla de Lobos that caught my attention on my first afternoon walk right after my arrival. Here a few photographic impressions for you to enjoy:
In the background the neighboring island
Lanzarote. On Lanzarote the last volcanic eruptions occurred in the 18th century, which led to a wave of refugees to Fuerteventura. In the course of time, the refugees' shelters developed into an actual settlement, which later became the town of
Corralejo, where today about a third of the island's tourists spend their vacations. Just as I did.
Collapsing attendance in the years of '20/'21 led to many of these unfinished and abondoned buildings around the area. A disaster for the locals who predominatly live from tourism. It appears though that visiting numbers do pick up again.
Lava rocks. The final level for barefoot walkers :D.
Thanks for following along and see you back next time 👋.
Photos recorded by myself with an iPhone 13 Pro. All rights reserved.
