The island of Gran Canaria is
really just one big old extinct volcano. It is round and shaped like a cone
with a dent in the top which is the volcano’s caldera.
If you happen to be in Las Palmas,
the capital of Gran Canaria, and have a free day you can take the bus up to San
Mateo ($2/45 min). Up, up along narrow twisting roads through palm groves so
lush they make you think of rainforests up, up endless hairpin turns past
steeply terraced vinyards and olive groves up, up along the edges of sheer
cliffs until the foliage changes dramatically to cedar and pine up, up until
suddenly the bus spits you out and you are there. As you step out the first
thing you notice is that the air is heavy with the scent of fresh pastries. It is impossible not to stop in at one of the many bakeries and
choose a couple to eat as you walk along. The second thing you notice is that this
is a village straight out of Dr. Suess. Dozens of odd palm species and other
plants so weird they defy description are growing everywhere, in parks, in
people’s front yards, in pots along the cobblestone pedestrian streets in the
center town. You can stroll aimlessly about taking a gazillion photos, you can
stop for a glass of freshly squeezed local orange juice at a wee café in the
main square and take the time to sketch the church, you can chat in broken Spanish
with German tourists and try to decide which of the tree lined alleyways, each
twisting off in random directions and begging to be explored, you will wander
together next.
You can then jump on the next bus
heading up to Tejeda ($2/45 min) which takes you up, up, up through a cloud
layer and above, and, if you really want to, though, perhaps, speaking from
personal experience, I would not recommend it, when the bus gets to the highest
ridge and you can see half of the island spread out below you in one direction
and the caldera opening below you in the other, you can beg the driver to let
you jump off the bus because the view is just so amazing you have to take a
photo. The up side to this decision is that you get to marvel at the view. The
down side is more complicated; firstly the view is harder to photograph that you
had realized when you were on the bus especially if you don’t know how to use
the panoramic option on your camera, secondly you become aware quite quickly
that you are now stranded on a mountain road miles from anywhere, thirdly there
is not much other traffic and you soon start to wonder if any drivers even
understand that by sticking your thumb up you are asking for a ride, fourthly
when you do eventually get to the next town you learn that the bus schedule you
were given yesterday is already out of date and getting a connection onwards
might be a wee bit more challenging than you had anticipated… and, oh no,
fifthly, when you have reconnected with the German tourists from earlier and
are all going back in the other direction a few hours later the clouds have
lifted further and from that very same ridge you can now not only see the
amazing view but also Tenerife, the next island over, in the distance, and you
want, desperately, once again, to jump off the bus!
