Photos

EL Teide as seen from East side, from a viewing point on TF-24 road. We're at 1800-2000 m and are heading towards the Canadas - the plains inside the old crater upon which the main volcanic cone dominates. High as we are, just an hour ago we were at 0 m. You can feel the quick pressure change having an effect on the body, for sure. The peak is at 3718 but tourists get to 3550 m as getting to the very top requires a permit from the National Park autorities.

The "bay" is actually the Orotava Valley, a very nice region famous for vineyards (still) and sugar cane (in the old days). Beneath it lies Puerto de la Cruz - initially only a small port shipping the local produce to the outside world. Now Orotava is just a sleepy town, a museum of very old Canarian houses, mansions and churches while Puerto flourishes thanks to the tourists occupying the coast.

The climate in Puerto resembles the one in the UK and no wonder it was there where the British built their first hotels. The town gets quite a lot of sunshine, but not that much as the South side of the island.