"We have been stuck here for weeks now, but the repair on the Pinta is almost complete. On the Nina we have changed the sail wardrobe". The northeast trade wind grips the yards and the mast creaks on deck, transmitting the sound across the ship's planks, into the only cabin on the ship. It's early September 1492 and Christopher Columbus is going over the provisions list again with Alonso Pinzón. "How much longer do you think it will take"? Outside, a pig is quacking and when Columbus came on board, he first had to scare away the chickens to get to his accommodation. Life is much more pleasant in the governor's house. But his sense of duty drives him every day to the bay, where his three ships are moored, and where he gets reports on the progress of the work. The bells of the small chapel that has been built here ring for lunch.
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| Replica cabin on the Nina Columbus Museum Las Palmas |
The house of the then governor is now a museum, known in Las Palmas as Columbus House. As a theme, the four sea voyages of Christopher Columbus are mainly exhibited here. In addition to a ship's outfitting, which impressively conveys with what austerity one used to live on board, modern presentation techniques, such as 3D video glasses, are also used. Two macaws live in the inner courtyard, which they regard as their habitat and clearly point out to anyone who comes too close. Therefore, at the entrance, the friendly staff of the museum warns visitors to get too close to the two. With an app that you can download via a QR code, you get additional information about each room, in the preset language. For 4€, you get a lot offered here and we are glad not to have skipped the museum.
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| Macaws in Columbus Museum Las Palmas |
On the square behind the Cathedral Santa Ana we sit in a bar and rest a little before we continue our tour through the old town of Las Palmas. At the Plaza de Cairasco we come into the bar district and since it is already again shortly before two o'clock, the outside tables are well visited. At this time the Spaniard takes his lunch and the streets, around the bars and restaurants, become lively. We walk on and in the Calle Molino de Viento Gaby suddenly says: "What is that one"? A somewhat corpulent young lady with a proper bust sits on a bar stool in front of an open door and looks over at us. A glass highheel appears in front of me, marking the end of a slender, crossed leg, the rest hidden by a wooden shutter. "I can push 20€ into her "hand" and see what happens" I say to Gaby. We have done it again and found the "Red Mile". I do not know, but somehow these places, apparently, magically attract me. Anyway, the ladies greet us friendly. We greet friendly back and in any case, we now know one thing, that the Corona Pandemic, at least here in Gran Canaria, is over. Or maybe this service also counts that a household may meet with another household.
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| Slim legs on the "Red Mile", Las Palmas |
As punishment, I have to grind the next day. We have a lot of windows in the salon, a total of 12 pieces, one of which is always leaking. At the moment they are all tight. However, the water has affected the paintwork of the panelling, and the Kapitana now thinks that this needs to be repaired. A rogue who thinks that this is related to our trip yesterday. So I start to unscrew half of the ship in order to get to these places at all. I can forget about grinding with the machine, because the water didn't run down the panel over a large area, but found its way into the narrowest cracks and crevices. So, holding the vacuum cleaner hose in one hand and the sandpaper in the other, I work column after column and crack after crack. Next, the spots are cleaned up and then painted. Now we have to wait until the paint is dry again. We spend a night on the construction site "Katinka" and assemble everything again the next day. Finished!
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| Repairs on the Katinka |
What Gaby will think of for me next week, I do not know today, but you can be sure to read it on our blog, here on www.glenswelt.com. Until then, we wish you fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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