Winter evenings in Corralejo
Charlie’s new year’s surf trip to Fuerteventura
As Charlie had been to the best surf camp on the Canary Islands, the Billabong surf camp in Corralejo, so many times, one might think that there is nothing new left to discover. If only they knew how wrong they are. There’s always something new to experience, especially when you are surrounded by amazing people that create the experience.
Shall we dance?
On Sunday evening right after Charlie’s trip to Lanzarote, they had ended up by coincidence at Kiwi for a Salsa lesson and that’s when Charlie and Christian were told about another class that would take place at the bar next door, La Playa, on Tuesday. That was their Tuesday evening planned. This time, they did the best they could to be on time. It was supposed to start at 9 and they had approached this with a very northern European mindset. Exactly at 9 p.m. Christian and Charlie entered La Playa only to find out that they were the only ones. Charlie hadn’t been able to find any information about the class online and wasn’t entirely sure if they were even in the right place. She asked the bar tender. They were right but the start time was more of an estimate than a start time – it was 9 p.m. Canarian time.
They got themselves a beer and sat on one of the tables outside as the teacher Suzi and some other familiar and unfamiliar faces arrived. At approximately 9.30 p.m. they started the lesson with a little warm up, some basic steps and background information about Salsa, Bachata and Merengue before they coupled up to learn how to do it properly. Well, “properly” might be an exaggeration but what they were doing on the dance floor was at least recognizable as Salsa or Bachata. Charlie already had some dance experience from prior classes, Christian was completely new to this, but both had learned enough from Suzi to be able to enjoy the night and have some fun on the dance floor before they fell into their beds at midnight.
Live music at the camp
During previous stays at the Billabong Surf Camp, Charlie had noticed that the surf instructor Fede had a passion for music and was working on an album. They had listened to some of his songs on their way to the surf spots in the van and Charlie had checked out what ilex_sounds were doing online as well, but she had never heard them playing live. That was about to change soon. And as so often, all you have to do is ask. After the surf lesson that day, Charlie mentioned that she would like to hear him play and sing and it somehow ended in an appointment at the camp at 6 p.m. that day with guitars and amplifiers. Charlie made sure the others in the camp – although there weren’t many left – knew about it and they arranged a little Aperitivo evening.
Most people had left a few days after the new year had started and there were only Christian and Charlie left in the dorms, in the apartments next door and upstairs were three Italian guys, Angelo, Fabio and Alessandro, three Germans, Verena, Dirk and Daniel and two Russian girls, Paulina and Eugenia. Because they had been in apartments, there wasn’t much socialising going on at the camp this time. Charlie had never seen that place so quiet. But this was about to change.
Canarian time
Charlie was running a bit late as her Yoga class on the beach had run over that afternoon and she got to the camp at 6.30 p.m. Her German mindset had been rushing thinking she would be late, but of course, it was again a Canarian start time. Fede and his fellow musician Faco had just arrived and the three Italians were on their way to the shop to get some beers and nibbles.
They set up a little stage in front of the surf house, had almost a buffet of nibbles on the table and got comfortable on the floor. Charlie was impressed by the Spanish rock Fede and Faco were producing. They played some of the songs they had already recorded and some improvisations.
Later in the evening, once the beers had given some confidence, Charlie picked up the guitar herself and played a few tunes. Once again, it was that amazing feeling that you get when you’re surrounded by lovely people under the palm trees with a guitar in your hand, feeling your voice vibrating in your chest.
The others then took a cab to Lajares to attend a jam session, but Charlie was too tired, and maybe a little too drunk to go anywhere and called it a night. When she saw the others the next morning suffering by hangovers in the surf van, she was happy that she had decided to get some sleep instead of more beers.
Carbonara, music and Gin
The next day, Charlie had another Yoga session in the late afternoon and had been invited by Dirk, Daniel and Verena for dinner afterwards. They had an apartment at the surf house with their own kitchen and were planning to make a Carbonara. Charlie liked that idea and Dirk turned out to be a great chef!
One of the surf instructors at the camp, Chris, was going to play live music at the main square in Corralejo that evening with his group, and they had all decided to check this out. The others had already heard him playing the week before, but Charlie hadn’t. After dinner, they went to the main square and were lucky to get a table at The Gin Corner, right in front with a good view towards the stage.
As Charlie was just about to make a video of the band, Angelo and Fabio from the camp crossed her path. They were just going to grab a bite and would join the others later for a drink at the square. As if it had been planned, also Paulina and Eugenia suddenly showed up at the square and the group was together once again enjoying live music by one of the surf instructors. A bit later, they saw two other familiar faces: Reuben and Yves had had a surf lessons with them a few days before but weren’t staying at the camp. But they recognized each other immediately and joined them for a G&T.
To keep the audience entertained when the band needed a break, a group of break dancers found their way to the square showing an impressive performance. For Charlie, it was the perfect opportunity to practice some dance photography.
It all finished around midnight and they found their way back to the camp.
The last day
It was a big coincidence, but all of them would leave Fuerteventura the same day, turning the next evening into the last on the island for everybody. Last nights at the camp are always a great fun and Charlie remembers Karaoke with the Austrians and a party at the roof terrace that had happened in the past. This time, they all agreed that they had to go to Tapas Oscar – the best tapas place in town! They were a group of 12 people in total and Charlie had a few complications when she was trying to make the reservation over the phone in Spanish but she managed and even the Italians had made it on time that evening, well, almost.
It was the night of the full moon and they enjoyed some amazing views towards the Isla de Lobos and the super low tide in Corralejo on their way to the restaurant.
After the Tapas, there was one more bar they had to go to that had been recommended the night before. It is called Los Monos Sabios and is located right opposite of Tapas Oscar. It’s a nice little bar with a great selection of Cocktails. Some others in the group went to Lajares to hear Chris the surf instructor and his band play once again. As Charlie knew that she would leave very early the next morning, they all said goodbye before getting to sleep at around 1 a.m.
Goodbyes aren’t getting any easier
Charlie took the Guagua the next morning at 7.30 to the airport. Because the surf conditions were best in the morning that day, the others at the camp were already awake at that time and Charlie got the chance to say goodbye to Christian and Michele (who had only arrived the day before).
Farewells are never getting any easier, no matter how much practice you got in saying goodbye. It’s something Charlie just has to deal with every time she gets on the bus number 6 from Corralejo to Puerto del Rosario, having the tissue prepared and letting the great memories pass her mind while staring one last time at the sea along the east coast of Fuerteventura.
