Plan B

[Mac]

Spending too long basking in the warm sun by the coast, we at last set
off up through the clouds hanging around the pine forests to cross the
island, eventually eventually emerging onto the vast cindery landscape
of Teide, the road cutting through swathes of rough lava from the 1798
eruption. I've been in volcanic ladscapes before, including one
which erupted since I was there, but never one with such a
magnificently symmetrical cone, totally dominating the whole region.
Life has a foothold here in scattered dry scrub, lizards, small birds
and swooping kestrels (and therefore other unseen creatures) and of
course the thousands of visitors, but otherwise there is only a barren
moonscape surrounded by contorted rocky escarpments.

Teide has taken her hat off for us today, but kept her flanks
resolutely hidden in thick mist as we descend to the Orotava valley.
La Orotava, an attractive old town of steep cobbled streets, does not
really expect its visitors to stay: there is only one pension, where
we are promised 'a house like Grandma's' ; indeed Grandma answers the
door, and ushers us back 100 years to a hushed silence of antique
furniture and heavy drapes. She shuffles off to check on rooms while
we inspect the past, but much to my disappointment comes back shaking
her head. Completo!
Extreme regret on both sides - I'd have loved to stay there.

So it's Plan B, and down to brash, noisy Puerto de la Cruz, which
welcomes us with open arms and chaotic traffic, as it has been
welcoming visitors since the 19th century. Creeping past the Estacion
de Guaguas and back towards the Christmas funfair, we squeeze into a
tiny space by the football stadium and dodge through the crowds to
find some lodgings.

But next morning, in a grey-pink dawn, a gibbous moon hanging over the
Ferris wheel, fish stalls opening by the harbour, and Teide's cone
slowly emerging from the clouds, Plan B doesn't seem so bad after all.

Más en la próxima

Mac

[Ken Bielen]

Mac,

Thanks so much for sharing. Always look forward to your tales.

Ken B

[Roger Warwick]

Couldn't agree more.

Mac - have you never thought of publishing a book of travel tales, or at least a blog to delight a wider audience?

Roger.

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[John Zumsteg]

I agree!

[sue james]

Me too
Sue

[Mac]

On 5 dic, 20:20, Roger Warwick <roger.warw...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Couldn't agree more.
>
> Mac - have you never thought of publishing a book of travel tales, or at
> least a blog to delight a wider audience?
>
> Roger.
>

Well, of course I have thought of these, but realised that I'm really
doing it for myself and the few people who read it here, whom I regard
as friends with similar interests. I don't see the wider world being
interested. I do contribute to another site with different interests,
but certainly not in the same style.

Mac

[Ken Bielen]

Mac,

I think you underestimate the audience/market for good travel writing.

Your skills in observing and the way you put those observations in words are superior to alot of published travel literature I've read.

Ken (not that I need to mention the following but I've had 3 books published [none about travel] and I bring this up just to let you know I know a little bit about what I'm talking about)




--- On Sun, 12/6/09, Mac <M...@macwolfelee.plus.com> wrote: