Middle-aged flash packers

Playa Jaquita is near Alçala, an authentic Spanish town 20 minutes drive from Playa Paraiso. You can walk along the coast to Los Gigantes which is about a 10k hike there and back. 

The vibe around Playa Jaquita is an upmarket one. The promenade is flanked by a huge 5star resort and the women  emerging from it were dressed in cotton blouses, floaty midi skits and immaculate white trainers that aren’t really trainers. A studied casual look if you will. 

Fitting right in with our trainers that are really trainers and rucksacks, we pottered around the promenade and made a mental note to have a swim in the natural swimming pool on our way back.

We meandered along the coastal path. This part of the coastline is flatter but more rocky than Playa Paraiso and less developed. We walked past Punta Blanca where we saw a number of surfers. The rocks in the sea looked terrifying and made me wonder how they ride a wave with out being pummelled against them.

All lovely until we arrived in La Arena. Maybe it was because the clouds came in and blotted out the sun, maybe it was the man sitting on a bench in his football strip, surrounded by empty cans of Heineken. Whatever it was, the atmosphere changed and not for the better. The resort was scruffy and unloved. This is an issue for Tenerife. The constant building means everyone who can afford it stays in  the shiny new resorts leaving the older, less attractive ones to fester.

We carried on until we came to a view point of the cliffs – Ancantilados de Los Gigantes. They are awesome in the true meaning of the word. Plunging into the sea, you can see tiny paths cut into their sides. Later we watched a YouTube video of people walking the trails – heart in the mouth stuff.

This seemed like a good point to head back to Playa Jaquita where we stopped for refreshments but not a swim (too chilly) and then walked on a bit further along the promenade. Very authentically Spanish here – apparently there were fish canneries in this area. We saw 3 children (probably 12ish) jumping off a very high wall into the sea. It looked quite risky but the two lifeguards were oblivious, just looking at their phones. 

Once home we got ready for dinner which was at the pizza place we ate at a few days ago. This time I had squid in squid ink. I must be stopped from eating this in company as my teeth and lips ended up very black and S said don’t smile as you’ll scare small children. Thanks.

Today is our last day. We made the most of the weather by hanging out at the pool then driving into Costa Adeje to watch the sunset. And what a sunset! It really was an absolute corker. A fitting end to our winter break.