Our afternoon ship’s tour leaves right on time at 1:45 for the drive up into the mountainous area of Mt. Teide. We’ve decided to take a ship tour because A) we have cabin credits, and B) this way Ed can actually see the entire drive and scenery on the way to the mountain, instead of driving all the time and taking small peeks out the window.
We have a bus full – actually 2 buses full – of passengers as we start out journey out of town and up into the hills. The drive is beautiful with breathtaking vistas overlooking the coastline. Unfortunately, because it’s a tour, we don’t have any opportunity for photo stops, but settle for a few snapshots out the window as we climb higher and higher up through the woodlands, and past the tree line until we are above the clouds! It is so cool to above the cloudline – even though we don’t stop – we snap tons of shots out the window of Teide floating above a sea of white cottony clouds. The clouds are so fluffy and full, they make you think you can jump right off the mountainside and bounce along the tops (of course, we wouldn’t recommend that, just a fleeting fancy more than a practical action!).
Winding our way further up the mountain, we stop at a little restaurant/gift shop for a 20 minute break and view of Mt. Tiede, but unfortunately, the mountain is totally backlit, so while others spend their time trying the local coffee laced with liqueur and chocolate, we had a beer and wine. The coffee and chocolate sounded good, but not the liquor part, so why mess with a good thing?
Back on the bus we actually do go all the way to Mt. Teide, and then past the gondola station to a little carpark area at Canada Blanca and Roques de Garcia, the beginning of the path through the “roots” of the old volcano. We of course don’t have time to walk the path, but we do have time to wander around a bit, taking pictures of the stark boulder strewn landscape with Mt. Teide in the background.
We also have time to make a quick pit stop at the cafe attached to the hotel out here. The hotel has been here since 1954, renovated over the years (obviously) and would be an amazing place to stay the night. Out in the middle of nowhere, with Mt. Teide right out the front door. The sunsets must be amazing, as must the stars and silence at night.
On the way up, the guide told use a story about the time a few months back when the Mt. Teide gondola broke down standing people on the mountain and, more frighteningly, two full car loads of people on the gondola. The people on the mountain had to stay up there overnight – with provisions (but I’m not quite clear on how they go those provisions up there or if they have emergency provisions always at the top) – but the people in the gondolas supposedly had to rappel down the gondola one by one with the help of military personnel. Yeah, thinking back, we’re pretty sure that’s why we’ve never taken that gondola up to the top! Too many chances for a really bad outcome – especially on a one-day port stop that is normally the last stop before sailing across the Atlantic!
Back on the bus, we reverse our route and drive the same way back down the mountain, so we get views from the other side of the bus with the moon like landscape of the volcanic craters. We get to stop at a view point above the clouds, but once again Teide is backlit (although the picture didn’t turn out too badly), and we also get a close up look of La Torta – the cake – a section of mountain where you can see the different stratas of rock running through it.
Completing our journey, we go back through the forestland, glimpse the coast far down below us…
…go right past the airport where the worst wreck in aviation history occurred and are finally dropped off at the gangway of our ship. A very nice way to spend an afternoon. Now, we must prepare for our 6 straight days at sea.
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