BREAK, TENERIFE, part one

TENERIFE

part one

We enjoyed our time in Malaga.

But we were happy to say goodbye to the cold and head to a warmer location.

We made a brief stop on the way to the airport.

According to Ana, this is a famous beach for surfers.

This woman is always the happiest when at the beach.  Her home is in San Diego.

We have arrived on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands

Home sweet home for the next week.  This picture was just about the only redeeming quality of this place. It was a huge disappointment.  Ugly does not nearly describe it.  It had not been remodeled since the 70s.  It was worn out, tasteless, and inconvenient.  We were charged 120 euros for a week of internet, and the parking was about a 20 minute walk away.

Our first outing was to a black sand beach that was quite beautiful.  

A neat looking schooner off in the distance, and beyond that, another island.

Ana is in heaven.

Crabs on the rocks below.

Warm short-sleeve weather.  We've all got smiles.

A map of Tenerife on a beach towel.  We were
staying where the golfer is on the bottom of the map.

The Canaries are Europe's Hawaii.  The largest population of tourists seemed to be German.

There were a lot of German restaurants, and signs in both Spanish and German.  Since Gloria served an earlier mission in Switzerland, she had a few opportunities to use her German.

Our next stop was Icod.  We came here to see a 5,000 year old tree.

Not this one ...

... or any of these.

Tenerife seems to be famous for its balconies.

Greg always had Gloria by the hand, making sure she
didn't crash and burn.  He was so sweet.

There was such a pretty garden and so many varieties of trees.

This is the 5,000 year old tree!  It is called a Dragon Tree.  The legend is that when a dragon dies it turns into one of these trees.  When it is young the trunk and branches look like silver lizard skin.  After 5,000 years or so, I guess it loses some of its shine.

... but not this guy.

A closer look at the tree.

                                                                   Quite a background!

"If not the beach, give me a tree to hug."

On Sunday we attended church.

It was a very sweet, very small ward.  Wherever we go we always see people we know, and who know us from the Temple.  These members and their Stake will be coming to Madrid this week to attend the Temple.
While I'm talking about church, I'll go back a little and tell you about the Branch we attended in Malaga.  It was an English speaking Branch which was music to my ears.  However, the speakers didn't show up, so Greg, Gloria and Ana became the speakers, and I played the piano.  It was a great meeting, though.  Back on Tenerife ...  when we arrived a gentleman we know from the Temple was outside, and greeted us.  It took Ana about 90 seconds to get a dinner invitation, and now things are looking up for Ana.

The next day we went to an area that Ana's gentleman friend
had shown her on Sunday.  It was beautiful!

This part of the beach is solid rock.

This was interesting.

Now we found the sand.

 

The best missionary companion a girl could ask for.

                                                                      Jet skis

The water was gorgeous!

Greg and his women.

Now that's a Sandcastle, with a capital S.

                                                            Flags of over 50 countries.

The contractor.

Next stop,  The Monkey Park.

This park had a huge variety of monkeys, birds, and reptiles.  

This was a huge turtle, and he shared his lunch with the neighborhood.

Some of the monkeys were loose, and could be touched.
Others were behind glass or wire.  I still cannot figure out how to shoot behind glass.

He looks like a kind of cat, but it's a monkey.

This guy has problems I don't even want to think about!

These were my favorites.  "Cute" does not do them justice. 

                                                 They encourage you to feed the animals.

You gotta love this face.

He was the cutest thing ever, but before we could get too
attached his mamma snatched and ran.

She later relented and returned with him, but kept a very close eye on us.

Here he is finally getting some treats.

"What'd you say?"

Well .... a bit of a stretch, if you ask me.

These look like something from Lord Of The Rings.

Two birds, or four legs?

Is it just me, or does this posture look a little human like?

You can't tell how big this guy is from this picture.  He's BIG!

I couldn't tell if he was going potty, or had an itch that needed scratching.

"Right over there, fellas. See that geezer?"

Tiki Room? Jose and Pierre.

You know you wanna.

Why not?

Something about those little hands that just make me smile.

Cute thing.

Maybe not!

On our way to see the "Black Virgin."  Anyone misplace a boat?

                                                         Moving on down the coast.

                                     The Basilica of Candelaria, the Black Virgin Patron Saint.

                              One of 9 statues of the Guanches Indian Chiefs guarding the church.

                          The Guanches were the original indigenous peoples of the Canaries. 

                                    Their peoples were conquered by early Spanish explorers.

                                                                   Inside the church

                                                                  The Black Virgin.

                           Legend says the statue of the Black Virgin washed up on the beach.

                          They then built the church on this site, naming the Church in her honor.