TENERIFE (E)   DIARY  4

               From Diary 3.
14/11. Day 7. It is a rainy period, and to avoid it, I try to make it by the central highland towards the west, then stick to lower ground and if necessarily; the coast.
It is steep up, into the mountains. The GPS gets it’s way, and we do some of the minor and real steep roads, while the bus do the detours on the main-road.

First through domestic areas, then a bit of chestnuts and then forest. Starting with mixed, then a belt of pine.
The highland is, just like the cost, cowered in sunshine. I have to stop at some of the better rock formations, when the pines have given up. And with Teide as background, the motives are numerous.

I do a long hike in a almost barren area, when I reach Teide National Park. Rough lava stick up through the fine, yellowish gravel, and a few plants embrace the boulders. It could not look more beautiful, despite here are frost on the ground.

I pass Teide without stopping, but then the area gets "Ugly Coyote", with fingers of bedrocks, reaching for the sky. And the few parking options are more than full.
Eventually, I reach the Mirador Narices del Teide on TF-38, but turn around without stopping.

I follow TF-21 down towards the south coast, mainly through pines. The clouds start to drift in, but I head on to Vilaflor, the highest located village. I park in an alley at 1400 meters height, and around the corner, their huge church make up the most of the centre. Along with a huge and modern park.

Around are small farms and houses, most with small gardens, containing figs, vine, potatoes, lemons, oranges, almond and a wide array of crops and flowers.
Huge stonewalls, an old mill, sheets overgrown with vine, a ravine – it have it all, except sun. And only 14C. I see it all, and with sun, I would have a thousand pictures to proof. I might have to come back.

In my persuade for sun, I continue down towards the coast, although it is tourist-infected. The first part is dominated by terraces with flowering potatoes. Then vine become the dominating crop. The small fields are covered in almost white lava gravel.

Little San Miguel de Abona make me stop. It have a lot of parking, but I fail to figure why. I do the line of siesta-closed shops and find a cuppa. The sun try to penetrate the mist, and I see the sun at the beach, 600 meters down. The last part is dominated by huge banana shelters.

A breath stop in Las Galletas confirms, I don’t miss anything here. It is a new tourist town with apartments, cafes and bars. A lot of trails leads down to the most southern point; Punta de La Salema. Roads, on the other hand, are scars.
I find one which terminates at a giant gate to a banana-farm. Then back and ditch the car at the edge of the vast wasteland.

Here are only a few plants, but it appears to have been farmed a century ago. Aqueducts, made from light volcanic rocks leads down towards the wild coast.
The most southern point is made up by black rocks, and they look like perfect bird baths. I gather a few beach-finds, and walk back, while I document the few plant species.

At four, I set the GPS for home. It recommends the southern coastal road; 106 kilometres, and fine with me. Mainly because I didn't know the traffic grinded to a hold, 15 kilometres from home. It add half an hour to the tour, and I see the sunset just out of town.
The highlights from Day 7. All photos from Day 7.

15/11. Day 8. The car gets a day off, and I a long walk down to Puerto de la Cruz. It take me well over an hour to the 3,5 km downhill, as I get lost several times. First in the lovely old La Orotava, where people get banquets delivered by several bakers, on their doorknobs. I finally get to cross the austopista. Then I follow a cobblestone  road for quite some time. It must be the old main road from Puerto de la Cruz and La Orotava. It leads through former farmland and banana plantations.
I finally meet a café, right next the entrance to the botanical garden from 1795. Jardin de Aclimatacion de la Orotava is a proper botanical collection, with names and well kept. But it is a forest, almost entirely covered by the giant trees. I see a single plant I’m unfamiliar with Dwarf Clusia; Clusia fluminensis from Brazil. The centrepiece is a massive Australian banyan; Ficus macrophylla with numerous aerial roots.
From here, it is yet another long walk, this time through the newer tourist town. Then the huge Parque de la Sortija is found. 200 times 500 meters with different vegetation, a cafe and a church. Not a botanical garden, but nice. Several areas are like ravines with native plants.
I can see the port area, but also the modern town with low skyscrapers, and fail to talk myself into the walk down – and up from that. Further more, my GPS is real low on battery, and the many blind roads on the hillside, is a challenge.
I follow a huge ravine for some time, and get glimpses of some farmland from time to time. I reach a modern area, and find water and lunch at their underground supermarket.
By pure luck or unknown talent, I find the old cobblestone road, cross the autopista and it looks familiar, from this morning. I pass old La Orotava, and see the disappointing park. Then through some real nice looking old buildings. I’ve been walking for six hours, but it is the GPS which is in desperate need for a recharge. It get half an hour.
Bach through old La Orotava with magnificent old buildings and overseeing the old domestic area below. The shops are closed this Saturday afternoon, but they do leave their houses out. And some great looking dragonblood trees.
The highlights from Day 8. All photos from Day 8.

               And then into the next page; Diary 5.