Gran Canaria Going Out
Food and Drink
National specialities:
• Seafood, particularly sama (sea bass), vieja (parrotfish), dorado (sea bream), squid, sardines and tuna.
• Conejo al Salmorejo (rabbit in sauce).
• Puchero (chorizo sausage, bean and potato stew).
• Morcilla (sweet black pudding), a popular starter.
• Mojo sauce (a paprika or coriander dip).
• Papas arrugadas (small potatoes boiled in their skin with plenty of sea salt).
• Gofio (a flour made from toasted cereal crops), flavouring everything from soup to ice cream.
National drinks:
• Malvasia (a sweet dessert wine, as favoured by Shakespeare).
• Tropical, Reina and Dorada are the favoured island brews.
Legal drinking age: 18.
Tipping: Some restaurants include a service charge in the bill. Tipping is discretionary and usually involves rounding up the charge to a maximum of around 10% in resort and hotel restaurants, and just small change in bars, taxis and smaller local restaurants.
Nightlife
In Puerto Rico the noise and neon mainly emanates from the Centro Comercial. In Las Palmas, head to the Plaza de España to find the heart of the action. High rollers can take on the penny punters at the island's two casinos - one in Las Palmas and one in San Agustín.
Many bars welcome children and it's not unusual to see toddlers sat with their parents through the late hours. Early evening usually involves a certain amount of paseo, the Spanish custom of family strolls. The parade is usually a combination of holidaying families choosing which restaurant to eat in and locals spending time together outdoors.
Shopping
In the south of Gran Canaria, the biggest variety of shops is in the four-storey Yumbo Centre (www.cc-yumbo.com) with retailers selling everything from shoes to Champagne. In Las Palmas the kilometre-long strip of Calle Mayor de Triana is the place to splash your cash as well as the huge shopping centre of Las Arenas next to the Alfredo Kraus theatre.
The island's markets also provide a good way to find locally produced handicrafts and souvenirs. The Saturday and Sunday morning farmers' market in San Mateo is by far the best.
Canarian basketry, embroidered lace, pottery, aloe vera products and Agaete coffee are the island's most popular souvenirs.
Shopping hours: Monday to Saturday 0930-1300 and 1700-1900 are the usual hours, though some bigger shops and those in tourist areas tend to stay open all day. Most shops are closed on Sunday.
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