Feb 9 – so why are we in Vilaflor? 1) It is the closest village to Mt. Teide, the highest peak in Spain and third biggest volcano in the world, and 2) it’s a place of many mountain hikes. Guess who’s going hiking today?
This little village reminds us of San Francisco or Lisbon in that you are either walking uphill or downhill at all timesThe roads aren’t wide enough to allow two way trafficEven though it’s a bit chilly, there are lots of flowers in bloomWe walked out of town to find the start of the trail. See how the land has been terraced for farming? Look in the foreground – are those grapevines?Here’s the rocky trail – up we go!Pretty in a dry way…We’re not the only ones out walking this morning Our trail marker – the name of this trail is Walking on the Moon for its aridity and the odd formations of volcanic rock. At the summit, there is no vegetation.Lots of dry gravel for slipping and sliding – not my favorite kind of trail!Jim, on the other hand, is smiling from ear to ear!We continue to gain elevation throughout the morning. The culmination of the trail, at the top, is said to provide a view of Mt. Teide, but unfortunately we will not get to the top today.We sat on a rock and ate our jamon and Camembert sandwiches, then turned around for the trek back down.Vilaflor ahead!An orange tree with fruit in February!Vibrant flowers growing beside the trailWe celebrated a successful day with Jim’s yummy potato vegetable soup. A fine day!
Taking Our Time 