Tenerife
Salamander
Thu 5 Nov 2009 10:05
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Still here, doing a few repairs, painting and
waiting for the trade winds.
An island of contrasts according to the 'blurb' and
that is certainly true.
Fab walks, day 1 we just went down and up a
mountain full of ferns and cloud with a tropical sound and feel. Day 2 we drove
'til the island ran out of road at Chamorga and walked for 8 hours through
forests, landscapes of cacti, land slips with little path and vertical drops,
wild seas and an island with caves for brying the anciant dead. The walk
included more than a mile straight uphill in one part. Day 3 we drove from one
walking site to another, stopping halfway up the dormant but not
extinct volcano of Teide (overdue!) peaking at 3,718m in a Scottish
like Pine forest sitting in the clouds. With fleeces on we picnicked under
a large pine. Emerging just 500m later into a barren volcanic landscape of
dramatic rocks and drops.
Or, you can go to the busy (british) Tenerife and,
surrounded by tourists and expats, find fish and chips, karaoke or bingo. Black
sand beaches, empty apart from during half term, allow for warm snorkelling
amongst blennies and a multitude of colourful fish.
The supermarket offers up fantastic fresh meat,
fish and veg and drinkable Sangria at 1euro per litre. The veg are so fresh and
like home grown they bring back constant memories to Caroline of her
childhood at her grandmothers eating the produce straight from the garden. (We
haven't found runner beans or sprouts for Murray!)
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