1492 Columbus Map
This reaally was written on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 (just getting around to posting it since we have been traveling last 2 days!) – Los Cristianos – As our time here winds down, we are trying to see whatever sights we have not yet seen. Before I share the La Gomera island pictures from last Friday, here are a few local pictures that I want to share:
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Our morning view!  |
La Gomera
Last Friday, Geoff and I booked a bus excursion for a day trip to the little Canary Island off the side of Tenerife—we have occasionally seen the island but it has been shrouded in clouds most of our stay down here on the oceanfront. Geoff and I saw it often from up at Castle Harbor for that month we stayed there but it has become rather ghostly of late.
The bus picks us up at 8 AM sharp outside and takes us on a long ride around the city to get to the street to take us to the ferry dock—we can see it well from our balcony and walk there faster than this morning ride. We get off the bus and hike up several flights of stairs to get on the Armas ferry passenger deck along with lots of other passengers. We went up a couple of decks to sit outside and look at Los Cristianos disappear and, San Sebastian (the capital city of La Gomera), appear!
Heading from the ferry dock with mist over Los Cristians.
we are on our way now....
That's the shadow of La Gomera ahead--now I'm excited!
It's just a little, tiny bit windy on the outside deck!
Ahhh...that is Mt. Tiede (12,188 ft.) on Tenerife---wow!
Who are these two hooded goofs? :)
We arrive in San Sebastian and board a double decker tour bus and start on our journey which will take us over a very winding road (several swithbacks) that climbed up the side of volcanic mountains—the views were incredible!
1st historical site--The Count Tower left from the 1540 fortress!
Volcanic peaks along the windy road.
More of the interesting views...
Lots of terracing up the steep mountainsides...
Some of the roads we traveled...
A view of San Sebastian from up the mountainside...
San Sebastian--from way up the mountains...
The views are so beautiful...
The path to the La Laguna Grande opening....
Rainforest-type woods...
Lots as ond lots of wild daisies...
Geoff reading the sign...
The wide opening that floods at times...
and more of the trees on our walk back to the bus.
El Silbo – The Whistled Language
After leaving La Laguna Grande we headed down a one lane road toward the town of Agulo to have lunch (bread and a lovely green yam soup followed by braised beef tips, rice and mixed vegetable with homemade red wine or water and ice cream)—during lunch we had the most interesting demonstration of the La Gomera language that is taught now to all youngsters—they whistle using their fingers to talk to each other! I was quite impressed with the two young people who “talked” to each other in Gomerian! A whistled message can circle the island in one hour. A person on one side of a mountain can talk to someone deep down in one of the ravines or valleys. It truly is an amazing language! You can go online to see some beautiful shots of La Gomera and listen the the language (starts about 2 ½ minutes into the YouTube video at : http://www.youtube.com/embed/PgEmSb0cKBg
It truly is incredible!
It truly is incredible!
We boarded our bus after lunch and headed back to San Sebastian via the town of Hermigua where we stopped to look at the area and shops.
The amazing terracing down to the sea...
Can you see the "bag" of bananas hanging from tree?
Terraces of banana trees...
Homes and crops along the way...
The beautiful area...
Any idea what this fruit is? Not apples!
A bridge by where we stopped in Hermigua...
Our bus driver kept the windows on the bus clean!
More interesting landscape!
Back to San Sebastian
Once we got back to San Sebastian, we had almost an hour to see whatever we could before we had to catch our ferry back to Los Cristianos so we went to see the local sights including the museum that has a courtyard that houses the well where Christopher Columbus got the water for his voyage to America. San Sebastian is a pretty Spanish town with some beautiful views of the beach and surrounding mountains!
Arriving back in town!
San Sebastian beach near harbor!
Well where Christopher Columbus drew water for his 1492 voyage!
Church that Columbus prayed in before voyage.
Sign for the ferries...
Here is a map of La Gomera and our trip is highlighted in orange:
We had a great trip back on the ferry and were very happy with our day trip to La Gomera island!
That’s enough for now—next we head to Mt. Tiede and Puerta de la Cruz and points between ! Hasta luego!
Love, Geoff & Sue xo
NEXT UP:
We just spent the last 2 days touring the island and seeing many spectacular views which I'll share in the next few days before we leave!
When you get back to the states, you guys should go on the tv show The Amazing Race...after all your amazing travels, you are super prepared!
ReplyDeleteHahaha--you are too funny! I love to watch it but with Geoff's poor sense of direction, I'm sure we would end up in "God-only-knows-where" and I'd be ticked off at him! It would make for at least one very funny episode, however, and could be known as the "clowns amazing race to the wrong place"! Thanks for the vote of confidence, anyway, Larisa!!!! xo Aunt Sue :)
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