Taking on Tenerife

After following me around to school and classes for a few days, it was time for Justin to have a real spring break adventure and to finally enjoy his Christmas present that I gave him. Early Thursday morning (on the 11th), after a couple uncomfortable hours on the airport floor, we hopped on a Ryanair plane and flew to Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands (Spain) which is located off the west coast of Africa. Even though it only covers about 2,000 square km and has about 300 km of coastline, Tenerife’s landscape is as varied as a small continent. For this reason, Justin and I really loved exploring this diverse island, uncovering its hidden and not-so-hidden treasures. The best way to see and explore Tenerife is by car, and renting a car for our trip was one of the best travel decisions I’ve ever made. In just three days, Justin drove our little blue Toyota Yaris, loving called Yupi, all around the island; and in the process, he became quite good at driving stick!
To understand our Tenerife experience, you really must understand the geographical layout of the island, which affects everything. Tenerife was formed by a volcano emerging from the seafloor 20-50 million years ago. Thus in the center of the island, the volcanic mountain peak, known as El Teide, and the vast crater below (remains of an earlier and more massive volcano that blew up who knows how long ago) dominate the island. The northern slopes of the mountain are covered in lush vegetation and resemble a tropical oasis. Large pine forests spread across the upper slopes. The valleys below are painted green and brown, evidence of the numerous farms and gardens, and dotted with white, grey, and red, signs of the towns and villages where a vast majority of Tenerife’s permanent residents live. The village of Garachico hold visible signs of the volcano’s impact; old lava flows created small rocky pools and inlets, a unique way to spend an afternoon by the sea. The town of Icod de los Vinos boasts some interesting flora and fauna, particularly El Drago—a remarkable tree and an icon of the island. Conversely, the southern slopes of the mountain are barren and desert-like. Rough patches of shrubbery and reddish brown rocks define this side of the island. The large wind turbines are about the most interesting thing to look at.

We devoted one day to exploring El Teide National Park. We approached the mountain from the north, driving up the windy narrow roads past the lush Orotava Valley. Along the way up, we passed through the misty grey clouds, but soon enough we were enjoying a clear blue sky and an unobstructed view of the snow-capped peak. Once we reached the mountain ledge, we began to descend into the ancient volcano crater. It was incredible how different this landscape was! Lava rocks and craggy planes stretched out for miles until melting into the walls on the other side of the crater. We made two stops: one at the Teleférico, which took us to the top of El Teide, and one at the area known as Las Cañadas, where we had a picnic lunch and climbed on the giant and curiously shaped rock formations.

Top: The view from the teleférico platform Middle: Crazy rock formations of Las Cañadas Bottom right & middle: playing and picnicking in Las Cañadas Below: Yupi's photo shoot in the crater

From the top of El Teide, we could see the sea of clouds resting on the far side of the edge. Everyday the clouds roll in off the Atlantic Ocean and gather around the base of the mountain, dressing it in a whimsically white tutu. The cold Atlantic winds push the clouds into the north, keeping them there to nourish and sustain the rich vegetation of the north, and they rush around the sides of the island, sweeping the sun-blockers away… which is quite convenient for the thousands of people (mostly from Britain and Germany) who flock to the southwest corner of the island to wallow in touristy beachside entertainment, which had a very similar feel to the USA’s big beach cities (i.e. Panama City Beach, FL). Las Playas de los Cristianos y de las Americas are two of the largest beaches on Tenerife, and we plopped down on a couple of lounge chairs to soak up the tropical sun on Thursday shortly after our arrival.

While spending a bit of time on a beach was nice, it was nothing special compared to how Justin and I spent our first afternoon and our last night in Tenerife. A Madrileña family for whom I tutor has very close friends who are from Tenerife, and the mom, María, was adamant that Justin and I meet them and have a chance to tour their banana plantation. Since María had already notified the couple—Juan Antonio and Carmen— that we were coming, I felt almost obligated to call, even though I was a bit nervous calling up strangers and asking to be shown around their home. Regardless of unsure feelings, I rang up Juan Antonio on Thursday afternoon, and he told us when to swing by. Luckily, María had given me a detailed map of how to locate their farm, and after only a couple of wrong turns, Justin and I pulled onto their land situated on the western slopes just as the sun was setting over the sparkling waters. Juan Antonio greeted us and ushered us into their property, where a live canopy of large palms and bright flowers marked the path to the houses. They have a large house at the top of the hill, which is rented out to vacationers and sleeps between 20-30 people (I can’t remember if he said 18 or 28…). Juan and Carmen have worked to restore, refurbish, and redecorate the rental house and their own, and they have created an idyllic tropical plantation paradise. Dozens of art pieces hang from the walls. Handmade furniture and lighting fixtures bring addition charm and unique flavour to each room. I immediately fell in love with their living spaces: elegantly simple, natural and beautiful.

Juan Antonio took Justin and me to a small covered plot of land where huge banana trees rose from the soil like giant sea anemones, their leafy tops swaying in the sea breeze. There, Juan explained the business of banana farming, showing us how they grow and harvest the yellow fruit. He told us that the farm has been in his family for generations, and now Juan looks after over 3,500 banana trees on his own. He escorted us past the mango trees and stopped at a papaya tree which had one ripe fruit nestled in a bunch at the top of the tree. Using a stick like a crowbar, he popped it off and sent it flying in Justin’s direction. We then took that papaya to their kitchen, where we then met Carmen. Over glasses of freshly squeezed papaya-orange juice and tapitas of ham and bread, Justin and I hung out with this charming couple, sharing stories and getting acquainted with one another. But as the sky grew darker and the stars grew brighter, Justin and I excused ourselves since we had to get to our hostel in La Orotava, a town an hour and a half away from the banana plantation. Before we departed, Juan and Carmen invited us to join them for dinner the following night and to feel welcomed to stay with them any other night, of which the latter was an offer we couldn’t refuse.

I’ve stayed in a number of hostels all around Europe, and I have to say that the hostel in La Orotava was one of the poorest I’ve ever stayed in. While the Austrian man who owns it was very nice, the converted home was just not up to my standards. I am glad that Justin and I stayed in La Orotava, because the northern side of Tenerife is gorgeous and the coast line is breathtaking. However, after two nights in our hostel, we decided to stay with Carmen and Juan Antonio on Saturday night because their place was so much nicer and a short drive from the airport. For the second time, we arrived sandy and salty, this time after having been on the Sahara-sands of Las Teresitas and moseying around the towns of Puerto de la Cruz and Candelaria. We cleaned up and were treated to a delicious dinner prepared by Juan and Carmen. At one point, Juan got up to answer the phone, returning a few minutes later to say that Kike, María’s 9 year old son who I tutor, wanted to talk to me and Justin… again (they had called during our Thursday visit, too). Around 11:00 pm, we set off for El Festival Orquestas Canarias, a local fiesta featuring 9 different competing bands that played salsa and merengue music into the wee hours of the morning.

Above: Overlooking Lago Martiánez, luxurious pools built upon a seawall in Puerto de la Cruz

Below: The Basilica of Candelaria, Carmen's hometown located on the east side of Tenerife

Apparently, most of the towns of Tenerife organize and host their own band parties, taking turns every weekend in the warmer months. It’s what all the locals do and where everyone goes to see friends and to be seen. The girls get all dolled up (high heels and all) and couples dance to the fast-paced rhythms blaring over the speakers. Food and drink stands form a border around the party scene. It reminded me of the Bay Point Billfish Tournament of PCB, Florida. Justin and I got a real look at who the people of the Canary Islands are: relaxed and laid-back, fun-loving and light-hearted, warm and generous. Carmen’s father is a long time musician, former player, and current coordinator for Orquesta Acapulco, and he gave us their CD so that Justin and I can practice our salsa dancing and remember our time with them.

And so, our trip to Tenerife was a really enjoyable and relaxing experience, where we took in all the marvellously contrasting landscapes and where we experienced life as the locals do. As luck would have it, the next time that Justin and I will find ourselves on a tropical island formed by a volcano and covered in banana plantations will be before we know it... We’re going to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia for our honeymoon, and I’m sure we’ll think back on our time in Tenerife.

Now, Justin is back in the USA, working on finishing up his Master’s degree which he’ll do just before we get married in 5 months from today (wow!). I’ll definitely miss having him around, but luckily I’ve got a pretty good “replacement” with me here in Spain (Justin, dearest, no one can replace you… you know what I mean!). Sarah Kolb and I joke that we’re practically a married couple, seeing as how I often live with her all weekend like I did this past weekend. I’m so grateful for her friendship, and I’m really excited about the grand adventure we’re about to take, just the two of us. This Wednesday, we leave for our Semana Santa travels to Prague, Munich, Vienna, and skiing in the Austrian Alps. Even though we won’t have volcanoes or beaches, we’ll surely have a blast.

Mixing it up in Madrid with Justin

My 5th graders just recently had an exam on the geological features of Spain. They learned that the highest peak in the country is actually not on the Iberian Peninsula. Rather, El Teide reaches 3718 meters into the sky, defining the island of Tenerife. My kids asked me what it was like from the top, an answer I was happy and fortunate enough to give from my personal account on from the top of Teide. It was awesome. But I wasn’t alone in marvelling at the giant crater from the wind blown and snow-capped peak. Justin—yep, my Justin, the man I’m going to marry in 5 months—was right there with me to take in the beauty of God’s awesome creation. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

My sparse blog entries would normally bother me, since it indicates that I haven’t been taking advantage of my time living in Europe. However, as my previous entry posted in February mentions, this winter has been characterized by my normal routine of living in Madrid. Yet, March certainly has shaken things up and brought many new exciting adventures and visitors.

On the morning of Friday, March 5, I made a trip to the Madrid Barajas airport in order to greet my fiancé. For the following five days, Justin was immersed in my “normal life” here in Madrid. We met up with my friends on several occasions, going out to our favourite restaurants, doing a bit of dancing at Sol y Sombra, and making dinner at SK’s house. For the second time, Justin visited the Community Church of Madrid, and to no surprise, Pastora Cathy welcomed him by name once we arrived. I also took Justin to my last volleyball game of the season, and the girls were all quite silly to know that my marido futuro was watching us from the stands. Since Justin had already been to Madrid, we didn’t feel like we had to do a lot of “touring” around town. However, we did manage to stroll through both the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum while he was here. Of course, no trip to Madrid is complete without strolling through Retiro Park; so, we found some time to do that, too.

Unfortunately, the weather was cold and rainy during most of his time in the city… but we did enjoy a walk about Plaza Mayor and the Puera del Sol.

I think what Justin and I enjoyed most about his time in Madrid were his days spent at school with me and his involvement in all my private lessons. The kids, especially my 3rd graders, loved him and loved asking him questions. For example: What’s your favourite food? When’s your birthday? What’s your favourite animal? When are you getting married? How much do you love Laura? In addition to being bombarded with questions for several days, Justin was also showered with gifts from the kids, and his pockets were filled with origami tricks and other trinkets.

One moment I really enjoyed happened during a 5th grade class. Justin was sitting quietly at an empty desk, perusing through a really cool Encyclopedia. One by one, some of the kids drifted over towards him to read over his shoulder. Within four minutes, Justin was surrounded by a dozen kids. They didn’t really care about the book (I mean, it stays in the classroom and I look at it more than they do…), but they did want to be around the tall, blonde American visitor in the room. It was cute.

Our time spent in my private classes was equally as endearing. We had two days with the twins and their parents, Marisa and Javier. Marcos and Aitor turned 5, and so Justin and I brought them some new toy cars and motorcycles to add to their seemingly never-ending collection (which is partly my fault, I suppose). I read Dr. Seuss’ Go, Dog, Go to all three boys, and I think Justin enjoyed it as much as the twins. In my “Big Kids Classes,” Justin was grilled again on all his favourite things and on his knowledge of mine. After my fourth graders Andrea and Andrea quizzed Justin, they begged us to re-enact our proposal story for them. We humoured them, but I refused to grant their requests that Justin and I kiss in front of them. I was grateful to have Justin visit for a week of tutoring classes, because it was a great way to get the kids to work on their conversation skills… and it made my job easy!

Justin got another good look at my life in Madrid, something I consider very special to be able to share with him. Yet, that wasn’t all I had planned for him…