A small rock in the Atlantic: 02/03/08

The Salt of the Earth

Well actually, it's the salt of the sea. Almost all salt on La Palma is sea salt, made at the southernmost tip of the island. You can visit the saltpans by taking a number 31 bus from the centre of Los Canarios to the lighthouse (Faro in Spanish). There's a bus every two hours for most of the day.

It's a simple process. The salt water is pumped into shallow ponds and left to dry in the sun. As the water evaporates, the salt starts to crystallise out on the bottom, and the workers scrape it into piles to drain and dry in the sun.

When it's mostly dry, it's brought into the shed for a final dry with warm air. From close to, you can here the machinery groaning away as though it's got indigestion.

Finally, it's put into packets. You can buy coarse salt (sal gorda or gruesa) for cooking or fine salt (sal fina) for the table. Being sea-salt it has more potassium, magnesium, calcium and iodine, and less sodium.

While you're there, it's worth looking at the Interpretation Centre for the marine reserve, which is in the older lighthouse. They have an audio-visual presentation available in several languages, including English. And it's the only such place I've seen with a memorable floor.

Labels: Canaries, Canary islands, La Palma, salt, salt pan

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Public Transport

La Palma has a rather good bus service. You can get the timetable, plus links to the ferry operators and airlines on my main site at http://sheilacrosby.com/lapalmaisland/buses/transport.php

Labels: Canaries, Canary islands, La Palma, transport

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S/C Flea Market

On the first Sunday of every month, the port car park gets taken over by a flea market. It's only small, but I love it. This morning a couple of hours slipped by very fast.

There's an amazing variety of stuff on sale. For some reason there are lots of flowers, plants and vegetables. This morning I stocked up on herbs.

Most of the stuff is cheap, but this stall aimed at the other end of the market, with antique brassware.

Many stalls sell arts and crafts. The island has a lot of German half-hippies who make a living this way. Since their rent and heating bills are far lower than they would be in, say, Munich, the prices are lower too. And at most stalls, you can haggle. These dangly decorations were going for 10€.

But this is my favourite. They serve freshly squeezed sugar cane. You can have it on its own, or with orange juice (also fresh). And I'm told the best of all are the mojitos - sugar-cane juice, lemon, mint and rum. I'd have loved to try one, but I was driving.

Next time I'll have to come on the bus.