More Fuerteventura!

The old capital city of Fuerteventura was Betancuria before 1834 when it moved to Antigua and finally to the present capital of Puerto del Rosario. Looking at it today, it is hard to believe that such a small village was ever the capital of the island.

The church in the centre of the village was, like most Spanish churches, white-washed and rather beautiful. The main door to the church is deeply carved and very ornate.Behind the church there is a small lane of typical old Canarian houses with wooden balconies overlooking the church and the village square.The gardens of the village were looking pretty and well-kept even in the middle of December. This plant which turned out to be a 'Popcorn Cassia' or Cassia Didymobotrya particularly caught my eye. It doesn't look bad for a member of the pea family!

A few miles from Betancuria is another small town called Pájara. Again, this town has a wonderful church at it's heart. The church, or Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Regla to give it it's correct title looked good from the outside with ornamented door and surround.Inside however, it was quite beautiful. Highly ornate and decorative, it was just what you would expect of a traditional Spanish church.It was very dark in the church so photography was not easy (I will not use a flash in such places as I think there are few things more annoying to others), but the pictures turned out well.Back out into the daylight again and another view of the village around the church. It was quiet, the birds were singing, what a lovely place!
That's it for today. I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful new year.