Out at sea, the clash of sea breezes and ocean currents causes the waves to slow at a point midway across the bay, where they perform a slow dance of foam and uncertainty. Which wind will prevail? The one blowing from the south or the one blowing from the north? On the shore, however, calm prevails on the sands of Las Burras Beach.

Those bathing in its crystal-clear waters move with languid motions that mimic the rhythm of the waves. The bay, in fact, has a hypnotic effect. It is a spell of white magic. Very few people know, or will ever know, that the spot owes its name to the animal races organised by groups of residents from Telde and Agüimes in the late 16th century, as documented in records preserved in the Provincial Historical Archive of Las Palmas.  

After an initial panoramic sweep, the eye is drawn to other details that form part of the essence of this landscape. Las Burras Beach is quite literally enveloped in an embrace. To the south, it is enclosed by a sandy ridge where several small fishing boats lie at rest. On the other side rises the rocky cliff that frames the northern end of the beach, along which runs the footpath leading to San Agustín Beach, which is not yet visible. It can only be glimpsed. 

Some people walk briskly. Or run. The promenade is a gym overlooking the ocean. Others stroll along at a leisurely pace. They stop every now and then to take in their surroundings and observe what is happening around them, such as the families laughing as they hurtle down the inflatable slides available for hire on the beach, which is equipped with all essential facilities, from showers and accessible access points to a first-aid post, as well as sun loungers and parasols available for hire. 

The large red crabs that mark the dark volcanic rock with their silhouettes dot the coastline visible from the seafront promenade. Finally, it is possible to walk on the sea. The lava’s intrusion into the sea gave rise to geological formations that created almost theatrical landscapes, with silhouettes that twist and turn and cry out to the sky, like howls of stone frozen in time, exposed to the whims of the tides. A stone staircase leads down to a pebble cove where one sees nothing but sheer rock and ocean, allowing one to feel at one with the spirit of Gran Canaria. 

The path begins to descend gently, revealing a group of fishermen trying their luck on a shoal that heralds the approach to San Agustín Beach, marked by an old bunker poetically occupied by local birds for nesting. From there, another story unfolds along the shores of Gran Canaria. The same applies if you decide to walk from Las Burras towards Playa del Inglés. You simply have to choose your direction. The sun and the salt air will follow us wherever we go.