TENERIFE (E)   DIARY  6

                From Diary 5.
18/11. Day 11. I head back to finish exploring the North-eastern part, this time the central area - well, the part that can be seen by car and short hikes. 
I stock some food in Las Cantera, and then Parque Rual de Anaga and the dense broadleaf forest starts. A quick stop at the Mirador Jardina, where it is a bit nippy with only 15C.
A bit of a detour to Mirador Pico de Inglés with a great view but not so great visibility.
It is a unspoiled area for sure. Here are a few houses, but the forest covered mountain sides makeup 99%.
I have to stop time and time again, desperately trying to capture the huge gorges and waste nature. And then the plants and some snails and sloughs.
The plants are an strange mix of succulents, ferns, lichen, trees and herbs. I could do with some sun, but it only appears in real short glimpses.
At noon, I finally make it to the little and twisted TF-123 at Montes Anaga. At some places, it has a great view down to the coast, 700 meters down. At other times, it to the other side with mountains, all the way out to the southern coast.
It is a great drive, but Chamorga is just a tiny settlement, and despite it is the starting point for several hikes, here are no cafes.
It is a 20 kilometres great drive, down to the coast and Benijo, with a real cheap cafe. Well, the old lady have been exchanged with a not that bright young man, but he have more than doubled the price.
The GPS estate it is one hour drive to home, but it might be three. At three, I figure I better find out. It turns out to be two. The mountain forests are gloomy and rainy in some places, and I figure I got photos enough.
I am actually a bit anxious regarding the photos, mad with the new camera; they do not look good at the little screen. Well, that camera will only last till I get my hands on another Canon Ixus 220 camera. I actually think my iPhone 5 make way better images!
It is a long evening, trying to make today's photos look all right.
The highlights; Day 11. All photos: Day 11.

19/11. Day 12. Accordantly to YR.no, the dry weather is only found in the western part today - so am I. It is a line of revisits, which looked nice the first time. The first stop is in Garachico, a lovely town, which is so quiet. I make a few desperate attempts with the sorry excuse for a camera.

After some time, I give up on, and comforts myself with a cafe con leche, in the sun. Despite it is only 19C, all seats are in the shadows. Once, I took the cup to a public bench, one meters from the cafe table – and was immediately ask to move back.

I do several loops in this cosy town, and find new angles. The tiny fortress on the harbour is one, the narrow cobblestone streets another.
A bit down the coast, little La Caleta de Interián is found. I stock some brunch at the supermarket, then find the church next to the beach. Besides from some odd modern hotels, here are not that much.

A bit further up the narrow coastal plane, shadowed by the tall and steep mountains, old Los Silos is found. I park at the surrounding banana plantations, and walk back. I don’t make it to the church, before a cafe is have a chair in the sun. Then a loop around the church square with the colonial buildings – along with the big fig-trees, hiding them.

The next planned stop is in Buernavista del Norte, an old village. I zigzag around, and see a few new things, before the sun vanished.
A short drive, up to the mountains and El Palmar. Last time I was here, it was covered in fog. It is a real low-key hamlet with only one cafe at the main road. Houses and huts, in different state of decay allies the one alley. But they sure have a great view to the surrounding Parque Rural de Teno and the 643 meter high Montañeta del Palmar.

I sip another cuppa, before I head further into the mountains. The wind is a bit chill here at 500 meters, when the sun vanished.
The next waypoint is Mirador Narices del Teide, to see Pico Veijo Tenerife.
The TF-436 is a fantastic road, leading pass Masca. Unfortunately, ditching the car is impossible, and the camera useless anyway.

I pass the bigger and uninteresting town of Santiago del Teide, and turn into the highland road; TF-38, despite the highland is covered in dark skies.
It clears up, when I reach the pines, but 500 meters before the viewpoint I was aiming for, it turns into dense fog.

The shortest route home is pass Teide, and the road is pretty vacant. The high area is covered in clouds as well, but some areas are sunny or at least clear. Then, on the backside, the drizzle takes over, and some drives slow down to 30 - which means we all do on the narrow and twisted road. I would feel fine doing 80. To get out of the train, I do some of the steep shortcuts the GPS recommend.

Home at five as usually, and I do some loops, trying to find a camera. When that fails, I get a haircut – this time real short, at a fancy place, right under the apartment I live in. I can actually use the Wi-Fi while waiting.
In the morning, I made identical photos with Kodak and iPhone. Later in the day, I change the settings from automatic to cloudy and spot-measuring. I might not have any photos worth saving. Well, I get some worked into viable. But I buy a second hand Canon Ixus 220 online anyway.  The highlights; Day 12. All photos: Day 12.

20/11. Day 13. I have pretty much seen what I came for, and additional some nice and interesting things. Considering the next island is rather rural, the last day here, will be spend in a city. And not any city: I head to La Laguna, to spoil myself with old buildings and café con leches. And it is within reach of the airport, traffic jam or not.

I leave the apartment and drive to La Laguna at nine. A quick pitstop to gas the car and then a long search for a free parking.
I get a sandwich and leche at the first café, then return to the car for my sweater; as it is a bit nippy. It turned out to be a great idea. Back to find the historical centre and perhaps a camera? But here are more vinyl-shops than photo cameras.

I stop at any chance, combining coffee and sun. Fare from often enough though.
This time, I find the market. It is made up by small shops, selling mainly delicacies. Here are everything from flowers over vegetables and fruits, both fresh and-dried. Here are so many different sorts of nuts and alike, endless fresh and dried spices, along with more unknown things. Fishmongers with fresh and salted sea-creatures, butchers with fresh, dried and processed meat from chickens, goats and cattle. Here are candy. A few shops have live pets and all sort of accessories for them, then there are wine, juices and and alcohol. Here are bakers and dulcherias with great looking cakes. A café in each corner, and some more odd shops in between.
I then get to do a loop in a newer part of town, dominated by graffiti, but spotless clean.
Another loop around the old part of town, another coffee and to entertain myself, a power supply for USB. I grind the plastic of, and get a small travel model. Pass the breakfast-joint for a last cuppa, then the 4,5 kilometres drive to the airport. That take half an hour, and leave me with only one hour in the airport – which is more than enough.

Tenerife have been a nice experience. At least this time of year, you don’t feel that you are drowning in tourists. Here are still so much nice nature, the historical cities are real pleasant, and everything works perfect.  The highlights; Day 13. All photos: Day 13.

I have driven 1367 kilometres and spend €1050, equals €80 a day. But the main flights were shared. The major expense is the accommodation and car. I spend a bit more on gas than expected, just like on the other islands on this tour.
The tour continues on El Hierro.