Jack Cork spent a year living and working in Gran Canaria while studying Spanish at university. He's also a member of the team here at Shooglebox. He's put together a box about the island's capital Las Palmas that shows how Shooglebox can be a great way to collect and share inspiration about a travel destination:
Gran Canaria is a destination I know well. I lived and worked in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for a year as a student and still have friends there. Although it's the capital city it's not a side of the island that tourists usually see because the package holiday destinations are all in the south of the island, in resorts like Playa del Inglés, Maspalomas and Puerto Rico.
Las Palmas de G.C. is an incredibly welcoming, historical and international city, full of people and influences from across the world. Walk along the cobbled streets of the beautiful old town and marvel at the Santa Ana Cathedral, just a stone's throw away from where Columbus stayed on his journey to the Americas in 1492. Or watch one of the free performances by folklore musicians and dancers in the city's peaceful Pueblo Canario, or head for one of the world's best urban beaches for a spot of surfing or sunbathing ... the list of things you could do while you're visiting the city is endless. Even if you're staying in the south of the island it's well worth a day trip.
I have loads of photos from my time in Gran Canaria on my laptop and links to YouTube videos and articles about the island in my Chrome bookmarks. Initially I started this box as a kind of nostalgia box for myself – a virtual way to relive the memories. I was going to go back to the island this year but couldn't because of the pandemic. Hopefully I'll get to go next year.
I started the box by finding videos on YouTube about beaches in Gran Canaria. They were easy to find, and even though the beaches are great to look at, the videos were all very similar – it was the related videos I found more interesting and reminded me of things I'd forgotten about. One of them was about the amazing Nativity sand sculptures you see on Las Canteras beach at Christmas. I found out a bit more from one of the artists on YouTube explaining how she sets it up and added the video to Shooglebox. I also added locations on the island that have been featured in films like Moby Dick. I ended up going down a few different rabbit holes!
I found some more interesting content on Instagram and Facebook and more detailed articles. I also pulled in Google maps of different landmarks which are interactive. If you click on the back of a card you can then zoom in and out of the map, see different views and read reviews from other Google map users.
I think it really helps that Shooglebox is visual – you can see instantly what you're looking for and, on the map cards, you can see where you are in relation to where you're going. It's much better than a list. If you're visiting Gran Canaria for the first time you can easily see the landmarks or hotel you're looking for using Shooglebox on your mobile phone.
Nearer the time I'll use the box I've made to help me plan my itinerary for my next visit and to keep all the contact details and travel details I need in one place. I'll also share it with my friends in Las Palmas so we can collaborate on things to do while I'm there.
I've shared the box publicly with a read-only link so feel free to have a look through the cards. This is just my holiday guide – everyone will have different things they're interested in, but do take a second look at Las Palmas if you're planning a trip to the island!
See the box Jack made and his top tips for things to do in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
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