Robert’s Wall (la pared de Roberto)

Robert's Wall (Pared de Roberto), La Palma
May 10, 2011

  This photo was taken from the viewpoint at Los Andennes, where you get a spectacular view into the Caldera. From here you can see a dyke called La Pared de Roberto (Robert’s Wall). It’s about four metres high (13ft). [Volcanic dykes are formed when moulten lava fills a crack in the rock and solidifies slowly into very hard rock called basalt. Later on the softer, surrounding rock is eroded…

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Training

May 9, 2011

It’s only a week until the volcanoes walk on the night of the 14th. Eek! Of course that means more training. So this morning I walked to Mazo market, which is about 5 km. Then I bought lots of veggies, plus bread, cheese and eggs and filled my rucksack. I deliberately didn’t buy potatoes, but the rucksack was so full that I stuffed a courgette down one side pocket, and…

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Slithering around the Springs

May 7, 2011

On Thursday I took my get-fit-for-the-volcanoes-route programme up a notch. Instead of walking up to Montaña de la Breña, I had a go at the Breña Springs route, above San Pedro. Most of the path is through laurel forest, which I love. It provides a great workout, since it’s steep, and that day at least, rather slippery. I was glad of my new walking poles. As the name suggests, it…

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Fiesta de la Cruz tonight

In the east of La Palma, Holy Cross Day (fiesta de la Cruz) is the biggest festival in spring. They only celebrate it in Santa Cruz, Breña Alta and Breña Baja, and as the name suggests, they decorate the roadside crosses – beautifully. As often happens, the main party is the night before the public holiday. Since most crosses are hung with gold jewelry (among other things) people stay beside…

May 2, 2011
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Into the Caldera

May 2, 2011

No writing, but I did survive the Caldera trip. It didn’t help that it was raining when we set off on Saturday morning. We held a discussion in Los Llanos bus station, and decided to go anyway, even though obviously we wouldn’t be stargazing or leaving via the river bed as planned. The mini buses had no trouble driving over the ford, and dropping us off at Los Brecitos. Then…

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