The rough ferry ride from Fuerteventura to Gran Canaria took about two hours. After sunset, we finally approached the harbor of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the most populous city on the Canary Islands. I felt a little sea sick and wasn’t able to fully enjoy the beautiful atmosphere created by the purple sky and the dark ocean.
I was tired, hungry and exhausted when leaving the harbor with my van. From the open lonely dirt roads on Fuerteventura, right into the hectic and crowded traffic of Las Palmas in the dark. I just wanted to leave the city.
It took me about 40 minutes, until I reached a quiet spot. I had no idea where I was. Somewhere in the dark outside of Las Palmas. I didn’t really care. I just wanted to cook something, eat and sleep!
My initial doubts about the islands completely disappeared when I opened the door of my van in the morning.
I was standing in front of the volcanic crater Caldera de Bandama. The air smelled really fresh. Apparently, it had rained during the night. Everything was green and the rising sun shined on bushes with blossoms,
trees, cactuses and flowers.
Wow!
Overviewing the island
After spending some time in Santa Brígida, a cozy little town in the mountains, southwest of Las Palmas, I drove further up the mountains headed to the highest peak of the island.
I passed a forest which was something I haven’t seen on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
This island was definitely different. I still felt a little exhausted, so I decided to relax in this peaceful area close to Pico de las Nieves.
After my break, I finally reached Pico de las Nieves which is 1949 meters above sea level. The peak provides an awesome view over the whole island.
I was even able to spot Pico del Teide on Tenerife, the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic (3718 meters).
Relaxing in the woods
The area seemed perfect for cycling. However, I still felt a little unfit, so I decided to relax in my hammock in front of Presa De Las Niñas, an artificial lake.
Although the water level was very low, the lake seemed quite large for this dry area.
The recreational area next to the lake seemed perfect for spending another calm night on Gran Canaria.
Leaving Gran Canaria
I really enjoyed my time in the northern part of the island. Although there were still a lot of places to discover, I ended my stay on Gran Canaria to visit friends who were vacationing on Tenerife for a couple of days.
I got a slight impression of the southern part of the island when driving to the harbor of Agaete. The South seemed way more similar to Lanzarote and Fuerteventura: desert and rocks.
I still felt a little unfit when I boarded the ferry to Tenerife. But I was really excited to spent a couple of days off work with my friends who I haven’t seen in a long time! 
