Tenerife
Photographs from two holidays on Tenerife - November 2006 and March 2008
A view from the pool area of the Paradise Park hotel sundeck
Looking down at the family pool area
More hotels and apartments further up the hill
The hotel has an atrium in the centre
A view from the top. Good job it doesn't rain very often!
This is supposed to represent the banana plantation building that used to be on this site
Plants grow very well in the sheltered atrium
We just loved the colours used on this building
Another view - it's well maintained
part of the beach in Los Cristianos harbour
Prickly Pears were abundant to the south of the harbour
A view of Los Cristianos bay
One of the excursion boats
Off to spot whales - Mount Teide, as usual, is obscured by clouds
All we spotted for certain were the ever-present pilot whales
Female archers in Playa de Las Americas ?
Actually it's the entrance to the Palacio de Congresos
Quite a good stance !
And there are more women !!
The beach at Playa de Las Vistas. We lunched here often but didn't bother with the beach
Mount Tiede is the 3rd largest volcano in the world. This view is from within the older, extinct crater
The scenery in this crater is fascinating and is where they filmed 'Planet of the Apes'
You can take a cable car most of the way to the top, but beyond that requires a permit in advance (free but limited numbers)
Another view of the mount, 3718 metres (12198 ft) high at the peak
Travelling down again, about to pass through the layer of cloud that often obscures the peak
The Dragon Tree of Icod de los Vinos is reputed to be a thousand years old
Inside the 16th century church of San Marcos in Icod de los Vinos
The alterpiece was made around 1703 and gilded and polychromed towards 1730
Val on the rocks at Garachico where we stopped for lunch
Me on the rocks too. Garachico was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1706
There were large crabs of many different colours around the rock pools
I shouldn't have stood here - I nearly got washed away by the next big wave!! - atmospheric piccy though
Palms at the remote village of Masca. No road through here until about 30 years ago!!
Every house is guaranteed a beautiful view
Once occupied by pirates who controlled the straits between Tenerife and La Gomera
The hairpins were definitely hairy - coaches only went one way and did three point turns on some!!!
The cliffs of Los Gigantes
A view towards the island of La Gomera
One of the many different palm trees
... and another
Another view of the beach at Playa de Los Vistas
Motor boat in Los Cristianos harbour
Colourful boats moored in the harbour
More boats moored in the harbour
.... and yet more
An amazing sand sculpture
Across Los Cristianos from a short walk up the hill from our hotel ....
.... and the view towards the Tiede National Park
Exotic plants were everywhere, this one a red bottle brush (Callistemon) ....
.... and exotic birds - this is a Hoopoe
.... Parrots too
Another colourful plant ....
.... and another
An interesting cactus
Enormous seed pods
Lots of lizards too
One day we climbed the hill to the south of Los Cristianos.
Beyond the harbour is the bay of Playa de Los Vistas.
The island of La Gomera just peeps above the haze (to the left)
A few plants thrive on the dry slopes of the hill
It's a bit like a miniature forest
Prickly Pear rising from the ashes
Cacti get everywhere
Back down by the harbour
What a texture!
The harbour again - I wonder where that boat goes? ....
.... The island of La Gomera, that's where. So we took a day trip
The north side of the island is very lush
Standing in front of the largest dandelion I've ever seen
Up above the clouds again
These heads were about 20cm across
The ever-present succulents
Now that's what I call a wine press!!!
With almost no flat ground agriculture requires terraces
A Banana plantation - and oranges
Ripening Avocado pears
The Tower of 'El Conde' in San Sebastian, capital of La Gomera. Dating from 1447 it is where Beatriz de Bobadilla, the wife of tyranical Hernan Peraza (La Gomera's governor) barricaded herself in during the 1488 battle between the Gomeros and Spanish colonialists
Christopher Columbus (who was rather fond of Beatriz!) stayed in San Sebastian before sailing to discover the New World
On the way back to Tenerife
All good holidays come to an end