A bus ride took us to a small but fairly exclusive beach resort just a few minutes away from the Dunas de Maspolomas. A short walk from the bus stop and we saw the lighthouse towering above us, and directly in front, a newly landscaped park with sculptures and fountains donated to Gran Canaria by Rotary International. This made what would have been a drab and uninteresting walk to the beach an appealing and focused area.
Round the bay, passing sand sculptors as we go, the long golden sands stretched out before us. There were rows of sunbathing bodies laid out on this section of the beach, and we were unsure if the walk was going to be worth the effort. We saw in front of us Playa del Inglés and decided to head inland. This proved to be a shrewd move, because we were then treated to the amazing view of a classic desert landscape. The wind-sculptured crescent-shaped dunes seemed to go on for miles, and they had been protected from future development by being declared a nature reserve. What they aren’t protected from is the attack from the hoards of tourists who descend on them each year, some leaving their picnic litter strewn about the place.
The winds in this exposed part of Gran Canaria are fairly brisk, and it's particularly difficult walking in this area. We paused to rest toward the top of a dune, sheltered from the wind. This was the life, playing Lawrence of Arabia and getting a tan at the same time. Then, as if from nowhere, I spied the torso of an elderly gentleman who passed by me and stood at the top of the dune. Strutting and posing in his bronzed, wrinkly skin, he was joined by a similarly clad elderly woman. The view I had was not one I wished for, as they stood, legs astride, a matter of feet from my reclined body. Time to move on. As we progressed, we passed many a similar sight –- this, after all, was Maspalomas nudist beach. I just wondered why all these older people, clearly at ease with their bodies, needed to stand and pose on the crest of the dunes!
Between the dunes and the lighthouse was a large lagoon surrounded by lush vegetation and offering superb views of the dunes to the east, the mountains to the north, and the sea to the south, only spoilt by the view to the west –- cafés, restaurants, and an ant-like trail of tourists. I shouldn’t complain too much, because later on, we joined that trail of ants and had a cool drink in one of the lagoon cafés.
However, in Maspalomas, you can find solitude, cast off your clothing, hire a beach buggy, go windsurfing, play golf on the nearby course, eat, and drink. Whatever you want, you’ll find it here, and to be honest, there is some fascinating scenery!