TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS (4/22/2007)

From: Sherman Rootberg (BiggiRoot)
Date: Apr 22, 2007 4:12 PM
Subject: Sunday, April 22, 2007

Sunday, April 22, 2007

TENERIFE, CANARY ISLANDS

This is another wild island. It goes from sea shore and tourist area to the highest mountain in Spain and the entire Atlantic. The whole island is very hilly and there are almost always high mountains in the background.

This morning we really had to get up early. We had an all day tour with lunch, all provided by Virtuoso. As we left the harbor, right near the entrance is the Canary Islands Version of the Sidney Opera House. This one looks very similar but is supposed to really work inside. The original one does not.

Our final destination was the top of a huge national park where we could get at close as possible to the summit of the 12,000 foot volcanic mountain. As we drove along we could see we were constantly going up. After about 15 minutes we got off the expressway and took a series of secondary roads until we came to the 2 lane road through the park. After some time we came to an area of one restaurant after another. There were many other buses also stopping for rest stops. Ours was giving away samples of home made candy it was selling. Oh wonderful. Bobbi found something to buy.

As we traveled on the terrain and the weather changed. We went from the seaside to city to farm land to forest and finally to volcanic rock. We started off at about 67 degrees, got down to about 55 at the rest stop and back up to about 63 at the top where the sun was out. It had been cloudy and rained on the way up. The road was very good and well marked but too narrow for a big bus in several places. There were areas, going through the rocks, where the turns were so tight and the rocks sticking out so far, we barely missed some by inches. When we passed a large truck or another bus we would have to come to a stop and just barely creep by. Sometimes one or the other of us would have to back up. Often, the driver would blow the horn before going around some of the tight turns. Most of the way we had to hold on or we would get thrown out of our seats. That always cuts into my sleeping time, because Bobbi keeps yelling and poking at me as I fall out of my seat.

As we neared the top the scenery was amazing. Others must have thought so too. Some films like Star Wars were filmed here. It looks as much like another planet as another planet. The volcanic desert goes on for as far as can be seen. Some of the rock formations and colors are breath taking.

On the way back we stopped at a restaurant that was an originally an old monastery. Actually, originally it had to be a new monastery at some time, but now it had gotten old. No kiddies. They said I was wrong when I said that is where monsters used to live. Why do they call it a monstery then? They gave us wine. Lots of wine. Maybe I drank too much?

They had folkloric dancers and singers playing outside and then inside. They fed us far more lamb then anyone could possibly eat and it was good. The wine was not but it did do the trick. I didn’t see a step and fell really good. It was okay though. It was on my good knee and I didn’t feel much until later. Bobbi bandaged it up and is taking real good care of me and I am milking it as much as possible. Oops. Now I am in trouble. She just read this.

The last thing we did was stop at the opera house on the way back. It is closed today and the guide said we were not even allowed to stop there but we did for a few pictures from inside the bus.

This was our last stop before getting off in Florida. I hope you had fun. We sure did. We are just sad to have it come to an end.