Travelling Round Tenerife. The Truth, Warts & all! Part 3.

ITER eco-house

A very long, busy day, but really interesting!

We started with a visit to Siam shopping Mall. It really was Oriental looking. Apparently the Siamese have invested money in Tenerife.

There was a large selection of shops and I hurried to the Supermarket as I wanted some paella rice. I bought 2 packets of rice, and also 2 litre cartons of rose wine, which were cheaper than the rice! I got change from five euros.

Then we travelled to ITER.

This is an  an international centre of reference for research into renewable energies, engineering, telecommunications and the environment. They have wind and solar energy, and also 24 eco houses, which were chosen from plans submitted by worldwide architects.

Eco-house

Each house is a living lab, all completely different, with natural energy and no air conditioning. They are all available to rent.

After visiting several of the houses, we travelled on to the Playa de las Vistas, in the town of Arona. Perfect. The ideal holiday location!

Playa de las Vistas

It first became popular after with the Swedish after a Swede with bad health discovered it in 1957 and his health improved a lot in a short time.

Anyone with disabilities would find it easy here. There’s a long promenade with no obstacles, and the Police and Lifeguards are in buildings on the flat, sandy beach. It really is a beautiful place, and it’s recently been awarded a Blue Flag.

Blue Flag being raised

After lunch on the beach, we travelled on to the Port at Los Crisitanos where we boarded a catamaran. We had to wear our masks until we were out at sea, then we could take them off!

turtles

Three sea turtles that had been injured by boats and litter were released over the side. If they dived they were OK, but if they stayed on the surface they had to be rescued again. Luckily they were all pleased to be at sea again.

One of them had to have a flipper amputated as it had been injured. I asked if he would have to swim round in circles, but I was seriously told that he wouldn’t.

Injured turtle

There was a shoal of pilot whales who are always found in that area. The sea was choppy so after staring for a while, I couldn’t tell which were waves and which were the whales’ fins.

Back on land, we travelled to the island’s Parador, which is at the foot of the Teide volcano.

volcano

We had a delicious meal of octopus tempura with sweet potato and avocado. this was followed by a potaje, a vegetable soup which I didn’t enjoy as it reminded me of my mother’s leftover stews.

The main course was salmon with mushroom and vegetables and a Cava mousse.

I’ve had salmon a lot at banquets and they’ve mostly been a disaster when prepared for a lot of people.

But this was hot, moist and perfect.

Dessert was a foam of palm honey, which is like maple syrup but it comes from a palm tree.

I made them call out Fernandez the chef so I could congratulate him. He’s been working there for 20 years.

It was late but we travelled to the top of a mountain overlooking the coast, which we could see with lights twinkling below us.

We’d come to look at the stars, which are clear and unpolluted in Tenerife.

Some people had obviously come for the night as they’d made themselves comfortable on the ground.

I knew it could be quite cold when you’re high up in Tenerife so I had a thick sweater, a jacket and a wrap. But while Jose set up his telescope, I became so cold that my teeth were chattering. I don’t do Cold, so I went and waited on the coach in the warm.

Jose is a very knowledgeable, enthusiastic guide. Although I missed looking at the stars in the cold, he gave us a lot of information while we travelled to our hotel, the Occidental Santa Cruz Contemporáneo in the Island’s capital, Santa Cruz.

It had been a long day and I slept all night.

Conclusion Tenerife is a lovely place, and immaculate and it’s sad to see so many closed and To Let businesses everywhere.

Wearing a mask in a temperature in the 30s is not a nice experience. I felt giddy a few times and had to pull it out to breathe.

I was also worried about getting a two-tone face; brown at the top and white below my nose!

And why did we have to wear it near the coast but not at sea?

Star Excursions

Jose A. Paris

info@starexcursions.com

www.starexcursions.com

Tel (+34)609 589 266

For more information please visit www.hellocanaryislands.com or contact your local travel agent.