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.