Last day on the Island

Saturday was my last day in Tenerife so Rodrigo and I borrowed a friends car and went up to the North most part of the island for the day. The weather was absolutely perfect and my t-shirt got a last outing.

The north past is covered by a forest called Anaga and it was so pretty and quiet.

View of La Laguna from Mirador de Jardina.

Rodrigo loved the car and kept calling it the small Ferrari.

Small Ferrari. 

View down to Santa Cruz from Mirador Pico del Ingles

We had planned to stop in Cruz de Carmen but it was packed. And with the usual Tenerife parking. i.e, anywhere and everywhere, who ares if it is a legit parking space?
So we carried on to Taganana. I was so glad we did. I love Taganana! It is beautiful.

Taganana beach

On the way down we picked up a hitch-hiker, an elderly man at the bus stop who had left his bag on the bus and was stranded.
Taganana used to be a port where the English would stop and pick up food, in particular, their barrels of Tenerife wine.

Roque de Las Bodegas (Wineries Rock)

There is a walkway around Roque de Las Bodegas. But it is risky. Last time Rodrigo was here, he got soaked by a wave. Thankfully we were there at the right time and avoided the same fate.

Walkway

Hoping now to get soaked again

I did do a quick run to the end of the walk way but it was very quick. I was not risking my camera more than necessary!

Risking run to the end

Waves! Run!

We found a place for lunch, and like everyone else in the restaurant, had their seafood special. The garlic prawns disappeared very quickly and did not make it to the photos. The green peppers were a surprised (we were given the wrong dish) but nice. And the fish was amazing. (I of course had to inspect the fish head - that thing had some teeth!) With of course the required Canary Potatoes.

Lunch!

After lunch we sat on the beach, letting out lunch digest. While Rodrigo tried to nap, I got some nice photos of the waves and the beach. I love being my the sea and will probably miss this part most.

Where we were standing. 

Waves

Flotsam

Driftwood art

Town of Taganana

After Taganana, we carried on around the coast to San Andres for ice-cream and Playa de Las Teresitas.

View over Playa de las Teristas

Nearing sunset

At the top of the hill, for the view over Teresita, there were a group of old broken down buildings. And as this is Spain, graffitied. But cheerful and well done.

Colorful

Outlook, complete with bench.

cute

Perfect window view

Back at the bottom, we parked and walked along the beach to the jetty. The sea was so different to Taganaga, almost like a lake. And the perfect beach for families. We planned to walk along the jetty but it was cement with rocks in and neither of us wanted to put our shoes back on. So we just walked back along the beach.

Along the jetty

Teresita beach

Heading back to San Andres.

The last stop was Candelaria. But first we decided to wash Elena car to say thank you for letting us borrow it. We were like 5 yr olds going through the car wash. They "recommend" you don't stay in the car but don't say not too. Rodrigo put the code in and then ran like lightning, getting back ingot he car just in time! So much fun.

Red at night ...

Candelaria was pretty and lit up. We had planned to stop for dinner but we were still full from lunch. So just wondered around looking at the Christmas lights.

Candelaria lights

Light tree.

Rodrigo dropped me at the airport Sunday morning to fly home. The plane was most empty so I had lots of seats to myself! Which was good as Iberia don't give you  lot of room anyway. The landing was interesting. About 30 seconds before touch down, the plane served and tilted violently, throwing everyone about, and then skidded and wobbled down the runway, the wings almost hitting the runway. A little near-death experience - always fun.
We put the trees up on the evening, with my Dad helping to MacGuyver the main tree so it doesn't look so tiny. (It's a shorty!) We have 2 trees: a real 'classy' tree inside and a fake 'throw it on' tree in the porch with all out old childhood decorations on.

classy tree

'tacky ' tree - love it!

Santa Cruz

Today I had a slow day. I explored Santa Cruz a bit this morning and worked this afternoon (after a long nap!). I think I have made the right choice moving to La Laguna in 10 days time. Though Santa Cruz is very nice (and I think the weather may be better here), it's very similar to La Laguna and doesn't have a real sea front/harbor/beach which would be it's greatest selling point to me. So I have just saved myself the 1hr round trip every day.

I do love the buildings here. They are so colorful. (You can expect to see many more photos of lovely old buildings in the next few months I am sure!)

Colorful

:)

The first thing I did was go down the the water front. Unfortunately it is basically an industrial commercial port. Not the nicest place to be. I was hoping at least for a nice marina with restaurants but it seems the prettier parts are the small streets.

The water front

View along the "harbor"

Not very pretty. :(

I have been very surprised by the amount of graffiti everywhere. I don't ind it if it is artistic. But most seems to be gang style tags - not pretty and very unimaginative. However there are some which really are art and well done. 

I ended up stumbling on the museum of Tenerife. It was cheap and cool (both literally and figuratively) and had a cafe. So I walked around (after a coffee) and pretended to understand it. The lady at the front desk said there were English translations (at least I think she did) but I couldn't find them. So I probably didn't get the most out of the trip but it was fun all the same. They had some interesting exhibits (even without the language). I found out there are scorpions in Tenerife. Just when I think I have moved somewhere where things won't try to kill me!

Giant scorpion (in case you missed the point)

My hotel is uncomfortably near one of those dots.

They also had an amazing fossil collection. Yes. I geeked out. But seriously, some of these were the best I have ever seen. I think anyone in their right mind would geek out. (And I wasn't the only one there doing so. OK, so the others were kids, but still...)

Plants

Tiny dinosaur maybe

Lizard.

Mineral collection

There was a section on the ocean wildlife around the Canary Islands. I am not sure if they were all to scale (the dolphins seemed extremely big) but maybe. I loved the shark and fish heads. Which sounds weird. I think they were trying to show the teeth (it all got lost in translation) but I just liked the expressions. :)

Happy shark (or fish)

Shocked!

I finally went out to eat tonight. I am always slightly amazed and often disappointed by the attitudes of restaurants to people (or women - not sure which) dining alone. I have found this particularly in Spanish countries, but Europe in general. Tonight I thought it might be because of me not speaking great/much Spanish, but the couple next to be didn't even try! At least I gave it a go.
I get a lot less courtesy and attention than couples and often have to repeat multiple times that yes, it's just for one person. Yes a person can be single and still go out and enjoy herself. Sorry. It really irritates. But guess I am going to have to get used to it. Because I have to eat. Sigh!