May 26, 2012 - Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

May 26, 2012 - Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands

We docked early and the city is a five minute walk out of the port. We had decided to use The Hop On Hop Off bus (15 euros) and not take a tour. Don and Myrna are still moving slow from dinner last night so we were on our own. At breakfast another couple, Frank and Lila from Chicago and Florida, sat with us and we decided to do the bus together.

The bus stop was at the entrance to the port. There are 13 stops and you can get on and off as you please. The route is narrated and there is a map. It is a good way to see the city and the decided which areas you would like to see more. We got off at the central market and walked thru. The locals were shopping and there were many meat, produce and baked goods stalls. The flowers were beautiful as was the fruit and produce. The Canary Islands are part of Spain so it was an excellent opportunity to purchase safran. Before we got back on the bus we shopped for souvenirs along the street.

Our next stop was the city center, we could see the ship, which a short walk from where we were. This area is a walking street full of shops and resturants. It is a beautiful day, sunny and about 75 degrees. The streets were filled with local families having a Saturday outing. We walked for a while and then had lunch at a small cafe with tables outside. After lunch our friends took the bus back to the ship and Evelyn and I walked.

The Canary Islands are part of Spain, but are closer to Africa. The climate is very steady all year long. They get over 6 million visitors each year because of it's weather and beaches. This was a very big change after the last five African mainland ports. This is a place I would be willing to return too. The architecture is very European as are the boulevards and squares.

Sailing out of Tenerife gave us a chance to see the Island from the sea. We had cocktails in our cabin and we left the balcony door open. The weather was clear and sunny, very mild. The coast is hilly, with green areas, the highest point in Spain is in the Canary Islands, with a height of 12,000 ft.

We had dinner in the dinning room and the saw the show with Sammy Goldstein, who normally plays in the Casino Lounge. More like a Las Vegas lounge show then a main room show. It was entertaining to most because they had all ready become used to his style.


Sent from my iPad

Hal