This is my final photo travelogue post from our sailing trip in November.
We rented a car at the port of San Sebastian on La Gomera and headed up into the mountains. Mrs. BD wanted to hike in the Garajonay National Park which we did for a while, but most of the trails would have taken more hours than we wanted. Lots of backpackers there with tents and sleeping gear.
Dramatic volcanic scenery, and scary cliffside driving. I hate heights and driving on cliff edges but somehow keep finding myself doing it. Up in the clouds, a lot of it.
Interesting historical factoid: Columbus was given some sugar cane in La Gomera on his trip to the West Indies. That cane was planted when he arrived, changing the history of the Americas and certainly resulting in vast human misery. Rum, molasses, slavery, and death. Not his fault, though.
Afterwards, we drove down to San Sebastian to look around. Nice quiet little old village for Euroland retirees who really want to get away from it all. Remote and difficult to get to. Need to take a boat from Tenerife.
Tapas are the most fun foods.
Some of our readers like small streets
I like small streets with cafes.
This menu unusual in being in English
Then sailing out of La Gomera's harbor, headed to Tenerife.
Sailing around Tenerife. The volcano Teide is always in view, one of the largest in the world.
My little breakfast before disembarking. Surprising how some of these little islands in the middle of the ocean have so much urbanization at their ports.
Instead of staying in Santa Cruz (de Tenerife) - which the Guardian claims is one of the 5 best places to live in the world - or Playa de las Americas where people get drunk and take off their clothes, we took off to a fine hotel in the more sedate seaside town of Puerto de la Cruz.
The five-star Hotel Botanico. No glitz, extremely comfortable and civilized if on the expensive side. Worth it. If over 40, always stay at the best places or you will regret it. Cheap is for the youth.
Nice gym. I used it extensively, alone. All the other guys there used the "spa." Sheesh.
Excellent food. Heavy on the seafood.
Mrs. BD thought flower-lovers would enjoy the foyer's flowers
The receptionist suggested a cab, but we did the big hike of the town, down the hill to the port and back up again. Nice place, a resort town for the more sedate sorts of northern Eurolanders and, in our hotel anyway, old aristocrats with their assistants. Strange.
The main drag
Must be some Germans here:
Duh:
Down into the old part of town adjacent to the tiny port
We got lost. Nothing new to us. Darn iPhone even showed us the tiny alleys.
Many stops for cafe con leche. Not only because theirs is delicious, but also to use the loo.
Ocean fishing boats.
Only Germans will swim in places like this, and they take their clothes off after regardless of age. Please, people...
Then a flight to Madrid and back home. Fun trip, overall - Portugal, Morocco, the Canaries.
