A Canarian Christmas Tree
Today, our stroll around the village of Arico Nuevo, surrounded by hillside terraces and perched high on a sunny spot above the east coast of Tenerife, reminded us what a delight it is – a living museum of perfectly preserved 18thC Spanish rural architecture. On our travels we came across this oddity, to our eyes, a novel use of the flowering stem of an Agave (succulent) plant, that grows wild here, as a Xmas Tree!
There is no shortage of pine trees in Tenerife – there are almost 50,000 hectares of them in the Corona Forestal Park that encircles the Teide mountain range. However, after many years of damaging over-exploitation, they are now protected … 
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/yOk702 , 31st December, 2016
Out With The Old, In With The New
Arico Nuevo looking very festive this afternoon. New Arico is over 300 years old now but is all the more beautiful for that …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/LWserB , 31st December, 2016
Tasca La Zurrapa’s Resident Cat Eyes the Tapas!
J enjoying an early Hogmanay caña in Arico Nuevo. Closely watched by a wee gatito …!
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/x0sBWw , 31st December, 2016
Teide is Tops!
Teide and the National Park were stunning today …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/X0eeBI , 28th December, 2016
Melting Like Snow Off a Dry Stone Wall
It was hitting 11°C at over 2,000 meters high (6,500 ft) in the Las Cañadas Caldera, today … and the thirst-quenching snow on this wall was melting, well, like “sna aff a dyke”, as we say in Scotland …!
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/rVdl7t , 28th December, 2016
The Making of a Marriage on Montaña Guajara
There is no other word but “mighty” to describe Montaña Guajara (8,917 ft). Its imposing mass and rugged cliffs contrast with El Teide’s smoother conical lines as they face each other across Tenerife’s National Park. It is named after a Guanche princess who flung herself from its cliffs in 1494, in a state of abject grief during the bloody battles to resist the Spanish Conquest. In 1856, Charles Piazzi Smyth, Astronomer Royal 
for Scotland, spent his honeymoon making astronomical observations from Guaraja to test the benefits of a mountain observatory! Today, the massive telescopes at nearby Izana link back in time to Piazzi Smyth’s dedication to science … and understanding young wife …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/FmdKR3 , 28th December, 2016
Xmas Day – Plan B
Because of the bad weather, a planned visit to the Teide National Park was clearly off-limits. So, since Xmas is a religious festival, Plan B was a visit to Candelaria, the religious centre of the Canary Islands …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/eW6gAe , 25th December, 2016
Up Your Street – The Candelaria Take On Belén
“Bethlehem” has a distinctly Canarian look to it in this extended version of the traditional Belén tableau (Nativity scene), but that’s quite deliberate … each model house represents a real building from one of the villages close to Candelaria, where the Belén 
is situated on a side-street beside the Basilica … I guess it makes the Christmas story all the more personal and intimate to local people … ¡Feliz Navidad a Todos! Happy Christmas to All!
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/9d5rZp , 25th December, 2016
Christmas Day Weather
With the bad weather system still swirling around the mountain tops, a Calima is bumping in from the East bringing hazy skies and sunshine from the Sahara! It looks like the Calima is now winning the battle … we’ve just had to move tables into the shade at the Plaza de La Basílica de Candelaria …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/duFjq4 , 25th December, 2016
Xmas Day – Plan A Abandoned
We’d planned on spending our Xmas Day walking in a cold, bright and sunny Teide National Park. Looks like we’re onto Plan B …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/3SkOpY , 25th December, 2016
Normal Service Resumed!
After a wet, cool morning here yesterday, by mid-afternoon people were sunbathing on the beach in Las Galletas in warm sunshine … and I was out for my usual bike run in shorts and t-shirt …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/rxMvmW , 24th December, 2016
Alison’s Other Walks
My K9 walking crew wish you a very happy Xmas. Every one of these gorgeous guys are my dogs of the week. Every week. 
🐾 The pupsters have been busy this week working on their festive photos for their K9 Facebook page Xmas message … and they chose the music … 
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/N2G877 , 23rd December, 2016
Light Fantastic …!
Amazing skies can be pretty much the norm here …!
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/ZuJDqz , 22nd December, 2016
¡Feliz Navidad!
To all our Facebook friends and family, wherever you are, we wish you a Very Happy Xmas. Feliz Navidad xx …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/rBRM9e , 22nd December, 2016
Happy Birthday
Heading out last night to celebrate a certain person’s birthday … on the shortest day … feeling distinctly chilly here at 18 degrees … where did that scarf appear from …?
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/3086nu , 22nd December, 2016
Our Last Night at Las Cuevas, Orotava
It’s our last night in our abode in el Norte. El Teide is doing his thing … 😊 #lovetenerife
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/Dgt6nu , 19th December, 2016
Winter Sun Destination
A wee bike run took us to Las Galletas and Marina del Sur today. Looking good in the winter sun …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/2ZLgyv , 18th December, 2016
Around and About Barranco del Ancon
This afternoon’s walk was a stunner. A circular from Arona through Las Casas del Ancon taking in views – but thankfully not climbs – of Roque del Conde and Roque de Imoque …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/ubJtng , 11th December, 2016
Would Suit a Buyer Looking For a Project!
We passed this abandoned cave house today on our walk near Arona, overlooking the gothic depths of the Barranco del Rey and the towering mass of Roque del Condo. Using caves for habitation has been a feature of life in Tenerife since the time of the Guanches, who also used them as a resting place for their mummified ancestors. Nowadays, renovated cave houses, with internet connections and satellite dishes, can definitely have “des res” status, nice and cool inside and invariably with an attractive, open patio area overlooking some stunning scenery. Great outlook, but no internet, in this particular case in point … !
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/iQ5FtH , 11th December, 2016
At Aldea Blanca – La Cueva del Campesino
At the K9 Christmas do. 20 degrees C up here in the hills …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/I46LIj , 10th December, 2016
Christmas Lights in Costa del Silencio
Christmas has come to La Hacienda. Love the twinkly lights. Santas, not so sure …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/BV5zBp , 8th December, 2016
Last Look at El Norte for Moonie?
She’s not hunting, she’s eating grass … 
And she’s an indoor cat … and she loves her balcony … #dramaqueen #catdiva
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/EdHKz0 , 8th December, 2016
All Seasons Favourite
Hibiscus. Flowering all year round. One of my faves here …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/jQ8HK6 , 7th December, 2016
Love Is In The Air …!
I don’t know who had more fun, the K9 dogs, or Alison and her Spanish friends, during their visit to the Mascots pet resort this morning? Here, some cake is being shared, so love is in the air …!
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/hqgily , 6th December, 2016
The Errors of Our Walking Ways
Today we had a second attempt at tracking a route for our “guides to short(ish) walks in the south” plans. All I can say is we’ll need to get better at it…..! Beautiful scenery along the way though …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/Fgo0dX , 3rd December, 2016
Pretty Pascua
Today’s floral creation.😊 Gema Hernandez Guzman Tu, eres una florista muy buena! Poinsettia – Pascua in Tenerife – grows in winter here as a tall garden shrub. Not quite the Christmas pot plants we know at home …!
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/luSw48 , 1st December, 2016
El Caganer!
In Tenerife, it’s the time of year to be checking the Belenes for “el caganer” (the guy who’s been caught short outside) …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/JSkLsq , 1st December, 2016
Turning North
Autumn colours of (North) Tenerife …
Facebook post: https://goo.gl/d2nFUu , 1st December, 2016
Walk Tenerife Sur: Under 10 km 