Farming in lava is not an easy task, but it is achieved on Lanzarote. The lava soil retains moisture from the night air and plants need little watering. Cochineal export died almost completely with the introduction of synthetic colourings, but it was once a major industry. The island lies in the path of the Trade Winds and the continual breeze can get a bit strong at times. To prevent the plants, particularly the grapes, from being burnt and otherwise damaged by the wind, the farmers build semi-circular walls around the plants for protection.
Tourists find the breeze quite welcoming as the weather gets really hot in the summer months.
Most of the accommodation on the island is in white-painted villas and apartments. The locals, and also some of the expatriates, paint their doors and window surrounds green in order to compensate for the lack of greenery in the landscape. Catching local buses, coping with the money, the language and lack of knowledge of local geography, but arriving triumphant at your destination, can be good fun. One of the advantages of this is their trade agreement with Argentina. The beef steaks are the biggest and best I have ever tasted and incredibly cheap.