Canadian World Traveller Winter 2018-19 Issue

I would find out later that this micro-climate
we were in was due to the famous trade winds
from the Caribbean that would hit only the
northern part of the island. For that, Tenerife
was a valuable stopover to and from the
mainland to the Spanish colonies.
With many natural trails available for hikers,
this park was an outdoorsman’s delight. The
only thing missing on our short walk through
this ‘enchanted forest’ was Snow White, the
seven dwarfs and mystical little fairytale animals.
Cave Dwellers
Not far away, the scenery would be transformed
into a barren mountainous landscape,
devoid of trees and having, of all
things, cactuses and low lying scrub. This is
Tenerife, and when you are tired of your surroundings,
just drive a few minutes. Amongst
the very rugged and hilly terrain we would
find cave dwellings. These homes had been
dug right into the mountain side, and were
part of a way of life for many as building
material for homes is hard to come by and
expensive.
The cave-homes we walked by were now
mostly used as weekend homes, but we did
meet a man who was enamored by the solitude
and tranquility. He lives a quiet life, gardening
for his produce and enjoying the fresh
air and incredible scenery. He did invite us
into his humble home, which was small and
cluttered but warm and welcoming at the
same time. He even played his guitar and
sang rural folk songs. This was a moment to
remember, so little of this magic is found in
our modern world.
A lunch like no other
With such a packed morning we were due for
a break. Our journey would bring us to ‘the
end of the world,’ or that is how locals looked
at it. We drove up the mountain to make our
way down to the sea and feast at ‘Casa
Africa’. Sounds weird to speak of Africa while
in Spain, but this slice of land is part of the
African continent. Our restaurant break would
be a favorite of mine. It was located directly
across from the ocean with a seated view of
waves smashing the shores. The menu was (of
course) freshly caught fish. Added to that was
delicious local wine and garden vegetables,
and I feasted like a king.
Capital Affair
Although La Laguna was the capital of
Tenerife for many years, it lost its title to Santa
Cruz. La Laguna was built inland to evade
pirate raids and is one of the few cities without
fortified walls for this reason. With the
changing of the times, incoming ships wanted
a direct access to a port to unload goods, and
Santa Cruz was a perfect place.
Santa Cruz might be small but it sure packs a
punch. Among many wonderful attractions
there is Las Teresitas beach which is a wonderful
man made beach and interestingly,
ship loads of sand were brought in from the
Sahara to make it.
How about the world class Adán Martín
Auditorium with a unique signature look like
no other. Then there is the fabulous annual
carnival, with a museum (La Casa del
Carnival) devoted to it and houses many
elaborate and colorful costumes from the
many years it has run.
There is a great pedestrian street to stroll or
enjoy an outdoor meal and there are also
many shopping options including the very distinctive
Spainish store, El Cortes Ingles. Add to
all this a beautiful and well-kept botanical
garden, a new cruise ship port, centuries of
history and a safe, peaceful and easy- going
atmosphere and you have remarkable and
livable city.
The number one island attraction
Parque Nacional del Teide is special place
and to not to be missed. Once again on our
visit we would find a totally unique landscape
that can only be described as being from
another planet. So much so that NASA actually
used this landscape to test its probes
bound for Mars. Our day would bring us to
the very top of Mount Tiede, an active volcano
that is also the highest point in all of Spain.
Ascending this giant can be done by foot,
which would take a few hours. We opted for a
gentle gondola ride that whisked use up in
just minutes.
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Canadian World Traveller Winter 2018-19