57.15 Tenerife: Afur to Taborno and before then: 57.14: Casa Carlos to El Fronton, two trails intersecting somewhere above Afur and below Taborno.

  We continue to immerse ourselves in Spanish culture more and more with each visit. Even while we're in the middle of Atlantic, we still do absorb the culture, but do find we get soaked in it...water? I suppose we sometimes become a little too enthusiastic. We woke early on a Monday and headed for the village of Afur for what turned out to be an exciting climb to the hamlet of Taborno. As we walked out of our apartment, we noticed the parking spaces were still filled. It seemed unusual. We then drove off and observed the roads were quieter than usual. Could it be a public holiday, we wondered? 

  Jen mentioned it was Presidents' Day in the US; maybe the Spanish have an affinity for Biden. We both smiled...Jen was on top form and early, too. I love her humor when it's not at my expense. The 5-Freeway was relatively quiet, too which was a further clue. After 2 hours climbing, we arrived in Taborno and lo and behold, the bar, restaurant and cafe were closed. Wow, no beers for us today. That makes it over 70 years dry. What vasbyt! (endurance). In the most remote of positions, the spirit(s) of the holiday endured, we thought. Even the usual bustle of tourists was minimal. (Continues at end)

'That's the destination? On second thoughts, I'll take the bus.' (By the way, the destination is beyond the peak-in-view and a further 700 feet higher.)

'Is it my imagination or is that mountain top rising?' Roque Taborno on the peak.
Good chance we get wet today. The mountains are so well shaped, covered and prominent.
As we move up, with the 'high' incidence of 'car theft' on the island, we check on our car regularly...extreme left fore (in Afur). Should we see someone fooling around near it, the plan is Jenni will run down quickly and sort it out. Meantime, I'll think diligently about ways to negotiate the trail.
Moving up, car still safe.
Amongst the mountain people, Jenni searches for direction.
Destination at mountain top, the village of Taborno.
Oh! You have an ocean in this region, too. Could it also be the Atlantic? But what's along the coastline? (See below)
The following week, we undertook a tough hike that guided us onto a stone beach followed by a climb and hike along the mountain edges. (An extension of the above photo.) The following three are a taste of how spectacular we think the hike and scenery were, arguably the best and without doubt, the toughest, respectively. Photos provided for perspective of the interlinking in Parque Anaga.
Jen on edge as the rain begins.
This hike also links Afur to Taganana which can be seen in the distance.
El Fronton Hike. 

Jen comes in from the cold...out of the forest.
The target comes into view for the latter hike. (The farmhouse atop the cliff below.)
We reach the target only to be upstaged by another showoff...it's an epidemic. 'We'll join you in our next life but cut out the preening, we're not impressed.'
Looking strong and determined.
Sometimes it feels like a person owns the oceans... the world. Mostly, one is just an irrelevant speck. Enjoy those moments!
Toward the end of our hike, we came across a fellow who we'd seen negotiating a mountain road in his vehicle earlier. It never ceases to amaze us where a person will find a road or track. The Europeans, as mentioned before, have a tremendous sense of adventure. It made us think of their discovery of the rest of the world throughout the ages. Think about it. They sailed from their shores to discover and settle in all continents of the world. 

  We sort of communicated with this guy, trying to determine what holiday we ought to celebrate. Obviously, should we wish to immerse ourselves into the culture, we should at least know the holiday. 

  "No fiesta, today," he eventually assured us when he understood the question. We had wondered whether the annual carnival held in various cities allowed for a general holiday. Apparently not. We returned to Tacaronte, our home base, and accepted that our assumption was incorrect. During the return journey, we thought we'd check out the supermercados (supermarkets) to ascertain whether they were open. Then it struck us: Our wisdom and cultural immersion revealed the real issue "To Fiesta or not to Siesta, that is the question." 

  Think about it. Should it in fact be a public holiday (fiesta), contrary to the knowledge of the local fellow in the remote area, then the stores would be closed. However, if we checked the status of the shops during siesta, they would obviously be closed. Therefore, as we were driving during that period, we would not be any the wiser of the reason for closures, not to be confused with foreclosures. 

    For those not as smart as us, probably just one of you, let us amplify. Should it in fact be a fiesta, then the stores would be closed. Should it be siesta period, then the stores would also be closed. Therefore, it points to the fact that one should never attempt to arrive at a conclusion about fiesta during siesta. 

  Others might ask: 'What is the status of a store on both a fiesta and during siesta? Is it a double closure and what are the implications? We wonder whether this is a question that the Spanish have dealt with, and if so, have they examined it adequately? Some admit they have put it aside and prefer to deal with bulls, being a bullfighting nation. At this juncture, you should be able to hear the strings of the 'March of the Toreadors' faintly. 

  In conclusion, it turns out that it was a fiesta, celebrating the second biggest carnival in the world. This means the fellow in the village was incorrect. We, therefore, felt relieved as our instincts were, in fact, correct. Finally, we had met a village idiot. 

A view into Afur from a different hike (parking lot, this time our car is elsewhere), the highest visible point.

Our favorite hiking beverage: A Pepsi bottle filled with water.

Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey

From the later hike along the coast, incredible views and trails...(blog to follow). 

  Approaching Taganana from the coast.

57:13 Tenerife: A Second visit, it's that good: Punta del Hidalgo to Chinamada...not just a hike or experience but rather, a privilege.

My new favorite photo as Jen smiles in the thick (and steep) of it. To the left and below is a stream and above it is the trail.
The destination is left of the mountain in the distance and about another 500 feet higher.
Part-way up: The trail passes along an edge with a drop to the ocean. Since we have become horticulturists of some standing, we were easily able to identify this species. We call it a 'yellow flower'.
 We were walking along a path, admittedly, a very narrow edge some 2,000 feet above the trailhead when Jen asked whether I was feeling a little ‘jingly, jangly’. Well, I hadn’t heard that expression from her before, but I could figure out what she meant. I also had a real close-up view of her lovely face which expression echoed the sentiment. Her usual feelings in those positions are expressed as ‘shaky’ or plain old nervous. Despite feeling ‘jangly' on the day, she invariably handles those situations with aplomb and will seldom avoid a hike with a dangerous fall-off. In fact, on an occasion in Utah a little over a year ago, on a sort of trail which sloped dangerously away from the wall, including only a 9-inch-wide path, took a lot more guts than the one that made her a ‘little jangly’. Often, it's the feeling or mood on the day that's critical. 

 Well, I salute ‘Miss Bo-Jangly’ and look forward to spending many years with her on narrow, jangly paths safely and of course, listening to Sammy Davis. 

Little sun made the sights even more attractive. Not unlike how attractive Jenni finds me in the dark.
We make mental notes of these position in case of rain. How we have missed the showers thus far has been a wonderful streak of luck. Still a week to go and a drenching seems imminent.
Confronting one peak after another.
Enveloped by or in nature. Following in Jenni's footsteps while whistling, Mr. Bo Jangles.
Struggling to keep up with her as she deals with the hill like a professional.
A window to the town as we close-in on our return although still high.
Steps cut into the rocks are a great help but steep as can be.
Arguably, my favorite sight. However, I was warned should I need to publish it, not more than one allowed. 'Yes, Ms. Bo-Jangly'. We have viewed this icon from a multitude of positions.
 The title of the blog appears to be quite sentimental. However, that it may be but it’s based upon absorbing staggering sights of high mountains engulfed in clouds, foliage so green that it looked almost artificial in coloring, rocks of red hues, some with arches, the flow of water below us, a number of caves, views of the coastline with its assortment of rocky sections and towering, pointed mountains abutting it, tricky but well-designed paths and a feeling at all times, even when the muscles cried out for relief, of being in a wonderland. Above all, the fact that we were testing our skills and enduring the struggle up-and-down amounted to the best part of it all. Fortunately, these wonderous landscapes and challenges occur frequently, almost daily, allowing us to absorb what we understand to be a real and genuine world—the miracle of it all. 

  As a concluding thought, an opinion really, of nearly a lifetime of observing human behavior (including our own suspect actions), it might be fitting to add in, perhaps a controversial supposition. Bear in mind, it requires probably a tome worth of development, explanation, and discussion. 

   Should a person wish to seek religion, we think one should search in the cities—the choices are wide and in abundance. After all, religion has a very strong human influence. However, should you wish to seek spirituality and by extension, God, it might be better to search in the wilderness, to peek near the peaks and their broad surroundings. 

From there, it's a turn and up a further 800 feet.
Where naughty girls and boys have to sleep as punishment for misbehavior.
Love the 'safety' rail. We don't understand its purpose. It encloses a safe platform and compared with most of the edges/ledges, is a walk in the park.
After the edges, the climbs become steeper. Arch to the right, town yonder, boy in blue with white hat below.
Somewhat luxury path: Fairly wide, smooth and no rocky outcrops but for .
Provides such beautiful views.
A classical Nepal motion with an appropriate backdrop.
Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey 

We visited another part of the island 5 days later, climbed over 2,500 feet to reach a peak, and found a place to live, below. Jen says she prefers the old-fashioned method of searching, that is, calling Linda Bernstein and asking her to drive us there. (Such a 'square'.)

The Canary Islands: The Canaries, Cycling and Drivers...a unique environment. 57.12 Tenerife: Brenas 2: Via a hidden route up the cliffs.

  You have to hand it to the Spanish. Being Europeans, they join their fellow continentals enjoying the sport of cycling, preferably in the mountains. However, out here in the Canaries, they’ve added a twist. To express it differently, they’ve brought a halt to the sport while at the same time, retaining it. Sounds awkward but it makes sense. Jenni has been captivated to such a degree that she not only hikes, but cycles on the same days. In fact, she even undertakes both functions almost simultaneously. 

  Not long ago, I passed a blunt comment, perhaps without tact (the blunt one’s usually are), when I mentioned that she seemed to be slowing down. I actually thought I was tactful as I did not mention I considered she was becoming somewhat lazy. Strangely, she did not receive the comments as encouragement to try harder—the intended purpose. Being in the Canary Islands, I seemed to mix up the avis species with the rental car’s former slogan and landed in deep trouble. Jenni, being quite tough, came back from her despondence and now does a double workout to my single. Who feels like a dodo bird now? The picture below illustrates what occurs on some of our hikes. I stop for a break and look busy with the camera, tie my bootlaces a few times, or sort out my backpack, while she jumps onto a bike and cycles vigorously. 

We parked our vehicle along this main road and headed down the mountain to reach a village along the coast.
  

The Spanish are most concerned about their citizens in the Canaries while the Animal Rights crowd are more concerned with canaries than citizens. The Spanish would hate to have some other country intrude…Gibraltar has already been lost to the British. Imagine the Canaries being taken over by some other vultures. With this in mind, the authorities banned people over 50 years old from cycling on the streets (Jen just fell into this >50 bracket—brilliant save, Jeffrey). 

  It was not as difficult a decision to make as one would think. Admittedly, it smacks of autocracy, but should you take a look at the state of the roads: narrow, steep and very narrow, very steep, the drivers clueless and careless, you’ll understand the philosophy. Therefore, older people have the advantage of going outdoors, riding a stationary bike while avoiding traffic and poor motorists—it’s very safe. In addition, in most places, the views are staggering. Imagine peddling your bike while viewing Mount Teide or the ocean or many other delightful scenes without having to keep an eye or two on the road. 

  It also has the distinct advantage of limiting television viewing, thus making the level of intelligence higher for a Canary than other living creatures. (Friends, some family, and all people stronger than Jeffrey, excluded from this observation.) 

Clearly, I had meant that Jeffrey was far lazier than Jenni. Hence, Jenni's now smiling again, Mount Teide has come out of hiding from behind the clouds (girls stick together) and I'm breathing many sighs of relief.

Breaking News: 

  Over in the Canaries, a tweet just received reveals that CNN's Don Lemon has left a rather sour taste in most peoples' mouths with his shocking outburst. The good news for him is that he has been asked to direct the revised production of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie". He has accepted this task subject to the full backing of Google, which bastion of information and truth will provide authenticity of his understanding of age, longevity, hypocrisy and stupidity. It's been a long time since the 'canaries left' have been called to account.

  Rumor has it that Lemon stated to an intimate group when asked why the production was scheduled to be in Tenerife: "Some of my best friends are canaries." 

  This information is still subject to verification.

Kindly scroll down for reality; that which we consider real (for us, of course.) 

Tenerife: Brenas 2: via a hidden route up the cliffs. 

 The route we discovered provided everything a person, or at least, what we like in a hike...adventure, challenge, surprise, and outstanding views. We did not know where it was headed other than probably up the cliffs, so each step was made with a hope that there would be a continuing path. Turns out the views were outstanding. We had a good sweat, including some tricky moments negotiating the cliffs and a surprise ending where we ate brunch while focused on features that continue to uplift and surprise us. Thereafter, we joined the original trail and continued to hike about, keeping the ocean in view at all times as we headed into a small town situate on a further mountain above with direct views of the Atlantic. 

Never have enough of Mount Teide; never the same sight.
Scrambling prior to discovering the new route. It was in the blood that morning.
A bird's eye view of the coast.
Now she's scrambling...
While he takes a break enjoying the magnificent cove. Avoiding the cacti was quite the challenge.
When we reached the road above the coast, we continued walking to the small town. A couple miles on, we could follow the general direction of the hike up the cliff. It's the ridge area to the fore. Fascinating to be able to relive the hike from another position.
From the steep road heading toward the town, we grab a view of the neighborhoods above the Atlantic.
Always tickled with the contrast between the cacti and water. Really love the cove.
Let's close on a tidy note with another view of this fascinating icon.
Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey 

Jenni reaches the town after (guess what?...a steep climb) and surveys the parking situation on these rather wide roads.
It appears the earlier closing picture of Mount Teide was misleading.