Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria

For my second visit, I stayed in an apartment called Casa Mariposas. It’s up at the top of the town, next door to the large Riosol Hotel and near the Europa Centre. A fine gaff for about £100 per night. The apartment was nicely fitted out. The hosts provided all the little things you need for self catering to save you nipping out to the shops. The coffee machine was a real bonus, with plenty of coffee pods for me; and a welcoming bottle of wine, too!

The Riosol Hotel seemed pretty good and reasonably priced. My pals stayed there. It seems that some rooms and been renovated, and these were great. The ones awaiting the upgrade weren’t as swish. Maybe that’s something to bear in mind when booking. Their pool, bar and breakfast area was fine, with great views over the ocean and Puerto Rico (which looks grand at night).

Last time, I had a single room in the Ocean Hill hotel, which included a swim up pool. Alas, neither the weather nor the water was warm enough for me take advantage of it. It looked nice though! The accommodation was spot on. Spacious, clean, neatly furnished, comfy beds, good shower pressure and all the kitchen equipment you’d need. The buffet breakfast was okay and for all the other meals I ate out in town.

There are lots of restaurants in Puerto Rico. To pick on one, I can recommend the Chinese ‘Buffet Wok’ in the Europa Centre. At all you can eat for €15 this is an excellent place. The king prawn dishes were very tasty, and, well… it all was. There were raw steaks, chicken breasts, and prawns, which they would cook however you liked. It was quite busy at 7.00 pm, and it was obvious why, with good food at good prices.

Like many hotels in the town, Ocean Hill is perched on the mountainside and rises up quite a way. Consequently, there are three lifts and two open walk-ways to get up to reception/entrance and the dining room from the bottom level; not the best if it’s raining. One evening I got drenched walking this route. Overall, my room was excellent and I enjoyed chilling out in it, it was a comfy, light, and airy gaff. Officially, Ocean Hill is a two-star hotel, though I’m not sure why. From the perspective of my room, it felt more like a three-star.

It’s a 20/30-minute walk down from the top of the town to the beach and seafront. There are a few routes you could take, and the journey is quite steep in places, but it’s a pleasing stroll in the sunshine with views over the sea. A taxi back is around €7. But the walk is most agreeable on the way back up the hill; if a little tiring. One afternoon there were no taxis available as the, very heavy, rain had increased demand for their services. The downpour overwhelmed the drains, and at one point I began to glide serenely along the pavement on a slick of gelatinous excrement. Fortunately, I didn’t fall over. It would have been a shit experience in every sense of the word. To be fair a deluge like this is a rare occurrence, they got five inches of rainfall that afternoon.

Space is perhaps at a premium in Puerto Rico due to the topography. It’s set in a narrow valley and there’s a beach with a harbour and large cliffs that quickly climb away from that relatively small coastal area. Inevitably, there’s a shortage of flat land. Consequently, bars, shops and restaurants are often in shopping centres that are two or three stories high. The Europa centre was nearest our hotel, it was a bit jaded, and reminded me of Middleton Arndale Centre, circa 1973. The larger Puerto Rico centre in the centre of town was marginally nicer. Beyond that is the newer Mogan Shopping Mall, which is much more attractive, with a splendid, large fountain. My photos and video should demonstrate this variation and give you a feel for the place.

If you’ve been to Benidorm, I’d say Puerto Rico is in the same family, though they are not identical twins. The BIG selling point is the price of the beer. With a little effort, you can find bars that sell a pint of lager for around two euros. This bargain booze sets the tone for much of the town; it caters very well for people who like a drink! In nice weather, you can sit outside, catch a few rays and socialise with chums. Quite a lot of people come here several times a year and friendships are formed such that it’s a bit of a home from home. Mary D’s in the Europa Centre was a typical example, as is the Sun Spot bar in the main shopping centre. Cheap beer and lots of televisions to watch the football on.

The prices are very reasonable throughout the town and, sadly, this may encourage some over indulgence. Witness this exchange with a member of the party who was feeling a little rough the ‘morning after’. It ran approximately thus;

‘I had two shots last about 12 o’clock. That’s what’s done me.’

‘Okay’, says I. ‘Not the previous eleven and a half hours drinking, then?’

‘No. I know what you’re saying. But, no. It was the two shots that did it.’

So, there you have it. But, alongside the frequent hydration sessions, three of us actually had a sporty experience and it was fabulous. I feared it might be dreadful, suspected it might be passable, but it turned out to be brilliant!

Inspired by my good chum Neal, we had hired bikes from ‘Life on Two wheels’ in Masapalomas. We got a taxi and picked them up. The return journey was an opportunity to get used to our rides. They were good bikes. I ended up with a mountain bike, a Merida e60 675, with a meaty pedal assist motor. You still have to pedal, but it’s like a hench buddy is giving you a strong push. In my mid 60s with a weak back, I needed that help! The staff in the shop were really helpful and made sure I was safe and comfortable on my bike.

The route we followed took us from Puerto Rico, along the coast, turning inland at Arguinguin, up to the village of Soria, in the central mountains of Gran Canaria. It was 42 mile round trip with a total climb of 3,700 ft. As we cycled inland the slope up was quite gentle, indeed barely noticeable. I was thinking it was going to be pretty easy… then the climb came into view. The route to the summit was umpteen hairpin bends rising 2,500 feet to the village of Soria.

There’s a temptation to plough forwards on a tough ride. It’s as if a pause is a retreat from the struggle. But those pauses are very rewarding. For one thing, the views are fabulous, and you can also congratulate yourself on the progress you’ve made. Typically, the gradients on straight sections looked about 10%, but the corners themselves are steeper, around 15%. Looking back at the slopes with so many dramatic switchbacks is a great sight. I reckon there were well over a hundred cyclists ticking this majestic route off their bucket list.

Many stopped at a humble café at the top, in Soria. Whatever drink you had, you deserved it. I’m not a competitive person and the prospect of a ‘challenge’ doesn’t motivate me. But, I have to admit, this was a challenge and it was fantastic. I will treasure the memory.

A nice day out is just around the coastline. The port of Mogan (click for link to blog) is thirty minutes by ferry and we have been over for a trip. Frankly, I was gobsmacked. I’ve been to four Canary Islands, and seen plenty of towns in them, but nothing as lovely as Mogan. it reminded me very much of so many ports on the Greek Islands I have visited (like Fiskardo); a harbour full of flashy yachts, classy dockside eateries, tasteful buildings bedecked with bougainvillea… My wife and I have been four times now. Indeed, after this trip with ‘the lads’, I met my wife for another week in Mogan, and splendid it was too.

Should you go?

Puerto Rico again does what it does, and it does it well; it’s a party venue. I prefer a more mellow, laid-back holiday experience these days because I’m an old fart. You can have a chilled out, feet up, break in Puerto Rico, certainly in the more upmarket hotels. But, from what I saw, that isn’t what the town is set up for. If you want cheap beer and sunshine, this place is a great option. That stated, hiring the bikes added a new dimension to the holiday. So much so that, the week after in Mogan, I hired a bike again and had a pootle up in the hills. For northern Europeans, the Canaries is an obvious choice for winter sun.

I’ll be back, and cycling.