SPECTACULAR CRATERS AND CRITTERS

Time to head into the centre of the island, and to our surprise we are engulfed in fog.

When we break clear of it, we're a couple of thousand feet up and surrounded by spectacular lava flows.

We then proceed to drive into a massive caldera (17 kilometres long!) as we make our way to the visitor centre where we have a teleferico ride up to the summit of El Teide, the jewel in Tenerife's crown, and until now a landmark we never knew existed. El Teide is snow capped (!),  at 3,718 metres the highest point in Spain (it's sometimes easy to forget that we're actually in Spain) and the 3rd highest volcano in the world (the 2 higher are both in Hawaii).

It is, by any measure, spectacular, visible from just about every point on the island, and surrounded by breathtakingly diverse landscapes, including the gravity defying Roques de Garcia.

Sadly, there is a wind blowing and the cable car is closed for the day, and so Don Legsy misses out on his personal highlight - no matter, as i could just look at it all day (and the 300 photos are enough to satisfy!). (Travel Offer: Are you going to Tenerife before April '16? Our family ticket was non-refundable - given the frequency of closure it must be a real money spinner - but can be re-booked any time in the next 12 months, so if you'e going then feel free to take our ticket).

Looks pretty flat from here....

...but it's not!

Because of the topography and the excellent astronomical seeing conditions, one of the world's major international observatories, Observatorio del Teide, is also located here.

Yep - that's snow!

Amazing - each strata layer is from a different volcanic eruption

From here it's an hour's drive down to Santa Cruz, the island's capital, and home to architect Santiago Calatrava's extraordinary avant-garde Auditorio, a foreshore that redefines the meaning of rock art, and the Iglesia de la Concepcion.

Welsh warbler Tom Johnes!

Fill (sic) Collins!

I'm afraid it's way past this stage for Buzzy!

Time to appease los ninos again, and so we're now off to Loro Parque, which houses the largest collection of parrots in the world, as well as  killer whales, white Bengal tigers, the world's largest penguinarium, giant anteaters and various other fauna species.

Giant anteater - how cool is he

Puffin - never seen one before

Sardines

Piranha

Don Legsy's favourite bird

Magnificent orchids

Whilst the trained parrot show left us somewhat underwhelmed (personally speaking, it doesn't seem right to subject creatures to perform unnatural acts),

at the risk of applying double standards, the killer whales were truly amazing. Apart from leaving los ninos saturated by the waves they created, it was pleasing to see a display cancelled as the handlers were not comfortable with the welfare of the orcas. It is an overall impressive park, and well worth the time to visit - kids will love it.

As we wind our way back to base we drop in to the seaside village of Candelaria to see the beautiful Basilica of Our Lady Of Candelaria, the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands, and built in 1789, as well as some local tapas - a bargain at 1 euro per piece!!

Our final day is appropriately spent poolside before a final dinner.

Tenerife is renowned for its seafood and so it made sense (well, for two of us at least!) to dine at El Delfin, one of the area's premier seafood restaurants with glorious vistas of the coastline.

Then it was back to the resort to experience the cabaret show, an extraordinary performance (in ways you can only imagine) by none other than Tenerife's own Jersey Boys - photos cannot do them justice! And a subtle reminder of just one of the reasons you could not pay for me to go on a sea cruise!

You're just too good to be true...

.....can't take my eyes offa you...

...you feel like heaven to touch....

....I wanna hold you so much!

We won't be back, but incredibly we've been able to tick one our Spanish 'wish list'  boxes we thought had passed us by. Thinking of a sun filled holiday with plenty to do for young and old(er) alike, then think Tenerife. And the weather really is magnificent.

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