Volcano

Amazing.

We drove down the island to see the volcanoes [The last eruption was 1971].

We drove from sun to low cloud, then quite a cold wind. At Fuencaliente it was decidedly parky. We found a restaurant open [the rest was shut] and ate a beautiful pork escalope for lunch before braving the volcano. The visitors centre at Volcan San Antonio was 'manned' by 5 people. There were 6 visitors.

We watched a video of the most recent volcanic activity and learned how the Castillian noblemen conquered the island and gave the south to the indigenous people, because they thought it was worthless, now the 'Black Plains' grow the grapes for priceless white wines. So it goes.

Then we walked out to view the caldera of the old and new volcanoes. You can only walk about a third of the caldera of San Antonio before you are stoped by a wall of pumice and basalt blocks. From this viewpoint you can look down on Teneguia and the salt flats below on the coast. When Teneguia erupted in 1971 lots of new land was produced on the coastal plain which now grows the ubiquitous banana.

As you can see, it was very windy.

On a clear day you can see all the way up the coast to Tazacorte.

On a clear day.

We got back in the car and drove back to the sunshine <Sighs>