It took us a while to muster up the motivation to get off our butts to go hiking in the cold and misty mountains today when we were all cozied up in our nest. But, it would have been a shame to come all this way and not explore the interior of the island. I almost made us turn the car around and go back because the drive there was so sketchy. The one-lane, wet road from our place to the trailhead missed one crucial feature necessary on a super-steep, winding, cliffside road—a guard rail. Luckily, the road wasn't terrifying the entire way for our GPS put us onto a smooth two-lane road halfway there—thank goodness!
This part of the road wasn't so bad because it was wider, though it was still missing the guard rail.
We lucked out because the clouds parted just as we entered the trail, giving us a few minutes to soak in the splendor of the craggy mountains and deep green valley below. It looked like we were towering over Jurassic World! The rest of the 3-mile round trip, well-maintained trail to Roque Nublo was foggy but still beautiful. Our lungs loved breathing in the refreshing mountain air and the hike was the perfect distance for the kids. On days like these, I wonder why we don't hike as much as we used to.
The best part of the day... Clint and I noticed there wasn't one complaint during the hike and the rest of the afternoon. We have to celebrate these small victories for complaint-free days don't come often! Oh, and businesses were open again so we could eat dinner—bonus!! We stocked up on groceries and had some Mexican food, which is a rarity. The kids were very amused that their burritos had mustard inside! It's these subtle differences that make travel so intriguing.
FUN FACT: The Canary Islands are Europe's answer to Hawaii. Like Hawaii, the Canaries are a chain of volcanic islands formed by rising magma that protruded through the ocean's crust. They are similar in topography, year-round warm weather and great surf making them a popular getaway for sun-seeking Europeans. You can be basking in the sun on a white or black sand beach, catching a wave, hiking a rugged, forested mountain or exploring a rainforest, all in one day. It's wild!
