The Canary Islands

We are in the Canary Islands, which is a part of Spain. Geographically, however, the Canary Islands are off the northeast coast of Africa.

The first island we visited is called Arrecife. The three photos above were taken in a volcanic grotto and lava tube formed when the lava met the Atlantic Ocean. It created an outdoor pool surrounded by subtropical vegetation. This place was so beautiful! The water, along with the lush vegetation, created an incredibly lovely setting.

Other things I remember about the island are driving by field after field of cactuses. They grow well in the climate here, with little rain falling throughout the year. I also remember looking out the windows of the bus and seeing volcanic rock everywhere.

The second island we visited in the Canary Islands was called Tenerife. This island is more heavily populated than Arrecife, especially in the city of Santa Cruz. After driving through the city, we ascended far into the hills so we could stop and get out of the bus to see a panaramic view of it all.

Last on our agenda, we traveled to the Pyramid Park (first photo) on the island. The world-famous adventurer Thor Heyerdahl discovered this pyramid site on one of his voyages .

An interesting sidelight about the Canary Islands is the origin of their name. They are named for dogs, not for songbirds. Romans called the grouping Insulae Canariae (islands of the dogs).