Having driven past it twice daily for the last three days, we finally get round to stopping at the viewpoint on the route away from our hotel. It’s interesting to see now that in fact there is a car park, no-one bothered to tell us this at checkin, nor many of the other bits we have gleaned over the last few days. We still don’t know how to get a pool towel, but as we’re not in need of the pool that one can remain enshrined in mystery forever. Other than in the Maldives I don’t think resort hotels suit us!
We drive the LP2 for the last time, marvelling at the incredible reparations they have made, which the two special roundabouts celebrate – the back-hoes from two competitive builders who came together to rescue people at the first, and the house keys from thousands of lost homes, smelted to make the ceremonial key and gateways to new lives at the second.
Today we’re not trekking a volcanic eruption, or at least, not one that has a recent history. Instead we’re aiming for the centre of the island and a walk into the forest. Of course, it has volcanic origins, but long enough ago to be well established. This is the region of the 10km wide Caldera of Taburiente, the northern volcano’s crater which was last shaped around half a million years ago, although it started some time before then.
We head to the National Park visitor’s centre and park up here since we cannot get a permit (very limited) to drive to a car park further in. The walk starts quite innocently along a path, we see goats and even cows (first sighting in two years!) before we turn and start heading upwards. Now, we’re not heading for the rim, that’s a long way upwards, but we keep on climbing, fortunately on a tarmac track at first.
Soon the tarmac ends and we’re on the hillside, and we’re going up, quite a sudden climb. During the climb we gain about 1000 ft, 300m and the terrain is tough. The weather is several degrees warmer than our last few days, even at 3500 ft it’s 29° so we debate the sense of extending our walk, but decide another time we will get a permit to start higher. Today we’re happy to return to the car with over six miles covered, including a lovely picnic.
Our guide yesterday, Angel, told us about where is his grandma lived, and how the town remains affected by the 2021 eruption. We can see this from our hotel road, but cannot drive directly there, however we are near today so drop down the hillside into Puerto Naos. We note straightaway how many buildings look empty, and there are warning notices on doors.
As we walk along the front, the largest beach in La Palma, we see that only outdoor cafés and restaurants are open. In some sections the town is off limits to everyone but workmen. Even now after three years, the levels of CO₂ in many buildings is lethal. The large Melia hotel has just reopened earlier this month.
We note the amusing combination of ships on the island today! Back home the sunset is lovely again and particularly enhanced with a bottle of local wine.
Tonight, following our luxury dinner experience last night and not able to face the only other option – the dreaded buffet – we book another choice from the luxury dinner menu (visions of Holland America Line where we book the premium restaurant every night of the cruise.) Tonight it’s Caesar Salad and Chateaubriand.
We are given the VIP treatment, and everything looks promising. The Caesar isn’t quite right but still very good – no idea why tomatoes factor but it’s a nice if not classic interpretation. The main course is essentially chateaubriand, the gravy is unexpected, but the meat is perfectly cooked. The dessert is significantly better than last night’s – profiteroles with coffee cream and chocolate straws..
