We can’t resist climbing nearby volcanoes it seems. Last year it was Etna, this year El Teide. Syd saw Vesuvius when she visited Pompeii a few weeks ago so she is one up (kind of) on her parents.
Like Etna access to El Teide has been made easy with the installation of a cable car that climbs 3500+ feet in 8 minutes. And with the cable car base station at an elevation of 7700 feet meant we were at 11000 feet for the start of our hike. We had a great view for those moments we got winded and needed a rest. El Teide (the highest point in Spain, 90 miles off the coast of Morocco???) is an active volcano with the last major eruption in 1909 while Etna is in a constant state of slow but steady eruption. Christopher Columbus reported that El Teide was erupting when he sailed by Tenerife on his way to ‘India’ in 1492. I always smile when I think how much the world has changed since Admiral Columbus’s time, imagine trying to explain to him that the Canary Islands would one day be full of something called tourists who would have access to the islands from Europe in a matter of hours. Would he believe you? Now take the same thought and roll it forward, where is the world going to be in 2516, would we believe it?
After climbing El Teide we decided to visit some towns on the north side of the island but as they say, what goes up must go down. With the cable car base station at an elevation of 7700 feet and our hotel at ~300 feet (a beach hotel) we had a ways to drop. And although the mileage was low the road layout meant endless switchbacks so even short distances took time. Kim said think of the part of the big island of Hawaii that you are not allowed to drive on but with roads. By the time we got back to ‘sea-level’ we decided we had had enough and headed back towards the hotel with frequent stops. This place is beautiful so we hardly suffered.
My motto is “So far away I can’t walk home.” Can’t swim home either from here.
In El Parque Nacional del Teide, already at 7700 feet.
Hey I am in a picture!
The ride up.
El Teide.
The beginning was easy.
The rough way forward.
Syd and El Teide.
Looking north to Puerto de la Cruz from El Teide.
A fish eye view…
Another load to the top to El Teide.
I think I see my car…
On the way down…
… but still have 3500 feet to go…
Beautiful water.
On TF-42 near San Juan de la Rambla. Looks like Hawaii eh?
Garachico, Tenerife.
Los Gigantes.
