Lanzarote. 2024.
Volcán Corona, Ye.
You're here, you're fine, you're young, you're biting into life.
And then suddenly…
Suddenly, there's their crumpled shirt caught by the warm afternoon breeze
in front of the ballet of dancing boats on the calm water of Arrecife harbour.
in front of the ballet of dancing boats on the calm water of Arrecife harbour.
There's that smile when your eyes meet,
your eyes dropping to drown out the worry,
the unease and the fears,
before smiling back.
your eyes dropping to drown out the worry,
the unease and the fears,
before smiling back.
There's the sweetness of an endless afternoon, tasting of cañas,
of warm sun and first times,
those pieces of paradise within paradise,
the quiet feeling of being alright,
no questions asked,
even when their warmth moves closer to you,
even when their timid hand grazes your skin,
even when you feel their arm wrap around your shoulders,
when you sink your eyes into theirs,
their scent tickling your nose as they bring their mouth closer to yours
until your lips finally meet.
of warm sun and first times,
those pieces of paradise within paradise,
the quiet feeling of being alright,
no questions asked,
even when their warmth moves closer to you,
even when their timid hand grazes your skin,
even when you feel their arm wrap around your shoulders,
when you sink your eyes into theirs,
their scent tickling your nose as they bring their mouth closer to yours
until your lips finally meet.
There's your silly smile at an Instagram message,
their old blue Clio covered in calima dust
pulling up with a screech of brakes under the shifting shadows of palms shaken by the wind,
their laughing eyes behind round sunglasses,
the landscape rolling by to Costa Teguise,
the hidden corners of the turquoise beach,
one towel shared between two,
uncorking the white wine you taste on their sweet lips.
their old blue Clio covered in calima dust
pulling up with a screech of brakes under the shifting shadows of palms shaken by the wind,
their laughing eyes behind round sunglasses,
the landscape rolling by to Costa Teguise,
the hidden corners of the turquoise beach,
one towel shared between two,
uncorking the white wine you taste on their sweet lips.
There are those moments when you put the world to rights under the pale light of a sun getting ready to slowly set,
your steps over sharp rocks to the clear water,
their warm hand despite the cold water,
the salty laughter,
your fingers in their damp curls
and the smile on their face lit by the white glow of the sun in a calima-veiled sky.
your steps over sharp rocks to the clear water,
their warm hand despite the cold water,
the salty laughter,
your fingers in their damp curls
and the smile on their face lit by the white glow of the sun in a calima-veiled sky.
Listening to their lulling guitar
— feeling their fingers on the soft strings
never suspecting this song will bring tears to your eyes
for a long time.
— feeling their fingers on the soft strings
never suspecting this song will bring tears to your eyes
for a long time.
Falling asleep anyway.
Forgetting to eat.
Realizing it in the middle of the night,
tiptoeing back into the small Arrecife apartment.
Realizing it in the middle of the night,
tiptoeing back into the small Arrecife apartment.
Smiling like a kid when they kiss your cheek.
Deciding to trust,
this time.
To trust for both of you.
this time.
To trust for both of you.
From the ferry, watching the harbor fade away and feeling your heart tighten.
Holding back the rain in your eyes,
turning them towards the open sea,
towards that other island coming to meet you,
that will offer you tomorrow
— with or without them —
that will offer you tomorrow.
turning them towards the open sea,
towards that other island coming to meet you,
that will offer you tomorrow
— with or without them —
that will offer you tomorrow.
Punta Mujeres.
Cactus garden.
Calima is a weather phenomenon unique to the Canary Islands : Saharan sand crosses the ocean, swallowing the sky in a thick haze. The horizon disappears, colours fade. The atmosphere turns strange — blurred, uncertain and even a little dramatic