Curated neatness and blasted heath

Tenerife happily bobs between areas of curated neatness and blasted heath. Today we begin with the former and pass near the Hotel Westhaven Bay - a counterpoint to all those El Pasos one might find in Sussex.  When then turn across a bit of scrub, which has an abandoned sports field and turn out going up the back end of some hotels, a rather splendid garden and the Ten Bel shopping centre - which is a subterranean collection of eateries and providers of seaside essentials. 




The main reason we are here is to visit the hotel we stayed at, the Ona Alborada.  If you like design this is the place for you.  Mentioning brutalistic concrete may not, at first, win you over, but stick with me. It is designed in a series of lines, which means every apartment has a balcony with a sea view.  The internals have been modified recently to update them so it has moved, slightly, from the 70s chic which it once had.  It has long, cool corridors, with openings onto the northern outside.




The true glory of the place is the huge seawater swimming pool.  You could have a couple of water polo games going on and still have space for a dip.  The pool is not quite infinity but it is fairly glorious as it borders the Atlantic.  Waves will occasionally carry in seaweed. It gets emptied once a week.  



We will call in to the Restaurante O Pazo, because we have.  It is a Galician place and does splendid sea food.  Tizianna ssaid ‘Great food, kind host. Traditional food and pleasant context. We enjoyed the Galician dishes. We would be pleased to be back. Thank you!’ and I endorse that message.



Wandering around the front you can find the mix of the surviving fisherman’s cottages and new developments.  They have a half marathon here - put in February in the morning.   Shall we have an ice cream? Why not.  The heladeria Valentino gets 4.4 stars and I think is was jolly nice.  Dulce delMo said ‘Wow, amazing ice cream and a great price! Two scoops are €3.90 and delicious. I'd love to try more flavors, especially the pistachio one! The one in the photo is made with Uruguayan powder and Kinder, delicious. Thanks, and we'll be back!’  They also do pizzas.




So we come to the end.  The Marina curves round to enclose the bay.  It is a gentle walk with an excellent view.






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