Mount Teide

We visited Mount Teide National Park today. The volcano is the 10th highest in the world and the highest point in Spain and in the Atlantic Islands.  Our guide described it as "sleeping but breathing". It hasn't erupted for over a century but usually has a whiff of cloud coming out of the crater. It creates the weather and climate for Tenerife. On the south side of the island (where we are staying) today it was 28C with a cloudless blue sky. The land is arid and, apart from the bananas, most of the plants are cactus and succulents. On the north side of the island today it was 23C with thick cloud and a wind. The land is lush and green with grass and fruit trees, almonds and oranges. High up on the volcano it was 21C with barren fields of lava but also an immensely tall pine forest that survives by cloud harvesting.  The habitations are small and poor. The old people live to 100 but the young people leave to work in the towns or overseas.