Sun, sea, sand and !
HE wild parakeets that swarm the shopping fronts a short walk from our Fuerteventura hotel were at first fascinating: a streak of vivid, near metallic green, darting across the azure sky to the next palm.
By day two, they had become merely interesting. A sight no longer worth capturing on camera.
By day three, the squawks were irritating, but the monk parakeets were, we all agreed, nice. By day four, the infernal birds were a nuisance.
On day five, I was reduced to loudly cursing the constant soundtrack of shrieks that accompanied trips to the local market. The parakeets, initially “amazing ”, were noisy and messy.
Likewise, the Barbary ground squirrels that thrived on the beach’s rocky fringes.
Originally brought to the island, just 60 miles from the North African coast, as pets, the undeniably cute creatures have thrived in the wild.
They are mis-named – the squirrels are, in fact, chipmunks.
The oohs and ahhhs as they scamper from the volcanic rocks to snatch food from the hands of delighted tourists are misplaced.
Because the squirrels are a pest. They have played havoc with the eco-system. And the delight of being within touching distance of such adorable wildlife soon wanes.
On day one, we took pictures of the feeding frenzy. By day four, my wife snapped: “Shake them off your sandal less vigorously, next time.”
Fuerteventura, second largest island in the Canary Islands chain, may be only 640 square miles and well and truly conquered by the holiday industry, but it still teems with birds – some very rare – rodents and reptiles.
That was a surprise during my first visit to the idyllic island.
So was the weather. I left a Britain blighted by December’s icy chill. I arrived on an island constantly bathed in sunshine.
Fuerteventura is suntan hot at Christmas and, during my stay, the thermometer’s mercury never dipped below 24°C.
My trip, from Birmingham, was organised by TUI. My wife and I stayed at TUI’s four-star Sensimar Royal Palm Resort and Spa in Jandia on the south-west coast.
The large, adults-only facility ticks a lot of boxes for those of us who want quality at competitive prices.
Yes, it’s large, but not crowded – far from it.
Staff service is top-notch, the buffet cuisine is superb – the breakfast, with sparkling cava, is worthy of a five-star hotel – and there’s cabaret each night, although the entertainment drew sparse audiences.
The expansive outside area is studded with pools and the grounds bleed into a secluded, sandy beach. The rooms are spacious and the spa top-notch if, I felt, pricey.
My wife was so taken by our suite, which offered balcony views of the ink-blue Atlantic only yards away, that she posted images to friends and relatives.
“Helen hasn’t liked my picture of the bathroom,” she fretted.
Helen probably didn’t feel the once-in-a-lifetime photograph of the shower system needed an endorsement.
I could nit-pick. A bird-scarer is used with such frequency that it becomes annoying. The layout, a labyrinth of courtyards and on different levels, initially takes some navigating.
The beach shoulders a nudist area and those devoted to baring all have to be encountered during the 10-minute walk to the nearby supermarket.
I am of a generation who view naturism with seaside postcard humour. I couldn’t resist warning one elderly, naked sun-seeker, a man whose sagging flesh seemed in desperate need of ironing: “Watch out for the squirrels, mate.” Ditto the parakeets. They can peck.
But, overall, Royal Palm Resort is exceptional value for money. And, only days before the Christmas madness, it was a beautiful bolthole, a place to relax and unwind.
During my stay, Germans and those of a certain age from Wolverhampton featured heavily on the guest list. To a man and woman, they loved the place.
It was either “schön” or “bostin’”, depending who you asked.
Barry – or rather Baz – from Dudley was enjoying his fourth stay at Royal Palm. Baz, who only removed his cardie on Wednesday when the temperature climbed to the mid-80s fahrenheit, had only one complaint about breakfast.
“The bacon’s rubbish,” he warned. He also told me you couldn’t get black pudding for love nor money.
TUI offers a long list of excursions for those staying at Royal Palm. A must is the deluxe catamaran sea voyage courtesy of Canary Boat Trips VIP excursions, a day of unlimited alcohol and fine cuisine.
We “should” spot dolphin and whales, a company representative pledged.
Neither made an appearance during the unhurried journey. Perhaps the scent of chipmunk put them off.