SLM Scott Trimble: These islands are off the coast
of Western Sahara, so they're about as different
from mainland Spain as Hawaii is to the contiguous
USA. Cities and towns felt distinctly European and
the people spoke Spanish, but within terrain that
was jungle, forest, desert, volcano and beach.
SLM Sue Quinn: Our guides were truly wonderful,
patient and very knowledgeable. Lanzarote is the
volcanic island and has a lot to offer in the way of
unusual moonlike landscape and dark moody sand
beaches with unusual salt flats. Grand Canaria
was such a contrast. Las Palmas could be used for
doubling up as a colonial town anywhere in South
America. The countryside was rich in mountains
and interesting landscapes. It's also home to the
Gran Canaria Studios complex.
Scout Les Fincher: The Canary Islands—a world
of discovery of mountains, volcanic beaches with
crashing cliff waves, sea salt "sal marina" drying
pools, volcanic vineyards, unexpected vast ocean-
facing sand dunes, high scenic vista roads to
charming towns, delicious meals in kind and art-
filled restaurants and hotels. Truly a poetic cine
post card in every direction.
Scout John Huchinson: I was completely
unprepared for the mysterious otherworldly
beauty of Lanzarote. Its volcanic landscapes far
surpassed the beauty of those in Hawaii and made
me feel you could film any number of eerie science
fiction worlds there. I was especially impressed
by the Salinas de Janubio, 120-year-old salt flats,
a huge perfectly geometric and photogenic garden
of salt cones. The olden beach at Famara was
also wonderful, stretching for miles under sheer
towering cliffs.
In Gran Canaria, our lovely guide Nuria showed
us around old town Las Palmas, where in the
neighborhood called San Juan, Jennifer Lopez
shot many scenes as Cuba for her film The Mother.
Gran Canaria also has mountain roads, huge
dunes, banana estates and old churches. One of
my favorite colonial towns was Teror, with narrow
cobblestone streets, period architecture and
charming squares.
