Tenerife (Spain) - November 2002

This was my first visit to Tenerife. I spent a week in Puerto de la Cruz, on the north-western coast of the island; this part of the island receives most of the rain (or more properly, humid air) so is much the most lush and verdant part. My self-catering apartment was pretty centrally located, just about 50 metres back from the black lava sand beach. The weather was pleasantly warm day and night, never getting too hot or too cold - ideal, really. As well as a holiday, my purpose this time was to look for a suitable small apartment where I plan in future years to spend much of the winter months - I saw five apartments this time, but I will be visiting again at least a couple more times (probably next year) to look at some more.

A view from the upper cable car station, near the summmit of Mount Teide. The wide bowl below is an ancient crater and the island visible in the far distance is Gran Canaria. The cable car starts at 2,356 metres and ends at 3,556 metres, roughly 160 metres below the summit
Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain, reaches a height of 3,715 metres above sea level.

Taken on the mountains which form the spine of Tenerife, at Mirador de las Cumbres, looking down toward Puerto de la Cruz in the far distance.
Part of the seashore in Puerto de la Cruz, looking from near the small commercial harbour toward the Lido, a series of salt water pool pools and gardens. There are dangerous undertows along much of this coast and there are very few areas where it is safe to swim, although some brave souls do surf on one of the black sand beaches (just in front of where I was staying).

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