Tenerife - sunrise and sunsets

Sunrise, Sunset Sunrise, Sunset

Swiftly fly the years

One season following another

Laiden with happiness and tears.

This picture compliments of Mary, the one who graduates from High School this year and contributes to the causes for all the reflection this year.

Tenerife - Mount Teide Volcano

This was the first picture taken arriving in Tenerife, from the airplane.

And this is Mount Teide or, in Spanish, Pico del Teide, the third largest volcano in the world from its base, after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea located in Hawaii.

We took a tour up into one Mt Teide's volcanic crater to do some stargazing! On bus ride up our guide gave us a lot of interesting information about the formation of this volcanic island and its rocks, fauna and flora which you can read by clicking on the links I have embedded here if your interested. One interesting fact, Clash of the Titans was filmed here!

And the views... amazing!

My pictures do not do it justice. Mary took pics from her side of the bus and I have a few good ones of hers posted as well.

Heading up through several small towns, the Teide is 3718 m above sea level, and approximately 7500 m above the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, it is the highest mountain in Spain and the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean.

It is hard to see in the picture below but if you look you can see the hairpin curve in the road we had just traveled.

(curved white line center of the picture)

...getting higher and higher...

...and darker and darker...

Can you see the silhouette of a pirate (left side) in the rock formation picture above?

To complete the post I had to show the picture I have of the stars...my camera is good and has a 60 sec shutter delay for "starry sky" but just couldn't capture that beautiful night sky. In reality the sky was covered. Our guide pointed out constellations and the Hubble Telescope as it passed overhead He explained things like why stars twinkle and we spotted several satellites! This is a trip the kids will always remember.

Stars!!!!

Tenerife - seaside

This was our beach. It will be beautiful. But for now...

to enjoy a beach we went had to go on an adventure. A short 20 min walk/hike, we found another little beach. The walk was a pleasure because the weather and views were so beautiful!

We actually walked through the city streets to get there, but took the scenic route home. Places were steep and a little scary, but fun to conquer. We thoroughly enjoyed our beach experience!

We flew a kite (thanks Aunt Stacy).

We found lots of treasured volcanic rock in the black sand.

This one is a pumice rock.

(below left to right - Seth, Joey, Reuben, Mary)

We lounged and read while the kids played in the water.

(below - Clara, John and Seth)

This was the view from the ocean back to the island.

It almost seemed we couldn't soak enough of all of it in.

I just had to include this... me sitting in the sun, Joey in the shade.

Me in my bright colors and Joey in his muted darker tones, on opposite sides of the tree. So many things in this picture speak to me. As we are bridging a new season of life here in Moscow... our oldest getting ready to leave the nest... so many things I think about and wrestle with. This year seems to be a time of reflection. And this picture is a perfect example of how opposites attract and compliment. By ourselves we would be so boring and set in "one" particular way. But together... look where we have gone!

Tenerife - Poolside

What is there to say about the pool??? AWE it is so nice to sit by the pool!! And even sometimes great to take that plunge! The weather was warm but not hot. Perfect for sitting lazy around the pool. Here we had three pools. All interestingly designed, clean and refreshing! We jumped, splashed, swam, and played. And we of course sat and people watched, read and slept! There was also a volleyball court and pool table!

...and onto the beach we go!

Tenerife Canary Islands, Spain - Callao Garden

The next 4 days were spent either poolside or seaside! So I'll divide the posts up into subjects instead of days. We had no TV or internet and proceeded to detox! It was wonderful. John learned new games, actually we all did! We played Scrabble, Mancala, Traffic Jam, Yahtzee, pool, volleyball and many, many card games.

We all read at least one book, most of us two!

Oh and we did eat, a lot! Every morning we had breakfast at this table in the corner with a view of the ocean! We picked up a small snack for lunch and went out for dinner.

This is our "hotel", Callao Garden. The architecture and design were beautiful. See for yourself.

This view is looking back from the ocean.

We were 500 meters from the Atlantic.

Only bad news was our beach was under construction.

But that didn't stop us.

In fact, it brought a little adventure which you'll see later.

Below is the view from our balcony.

and the view left from our balcony, towards the kids room... see Mary.

and then the view to the right!

and looking down below... yes, kitty cats. Once we saw 8 all together. They never let us get close enough to touch them (thankfully, cause the kids were really tempted!)

Pool side view towards the ocean,

another to the west from the second pool, just downstairs from our rooms.

and yes those are my toes!

Walking through this complex was so wonderful.

Lush green plants and cacti were everywhere you turned.

You can see the paths between the building below and how they wound around the buildings making it feel like you really were in a garden of a sort and not a hotel complex.

John called this one "Rapunzel... let down your hair!"

Now onto the fun... pool side.