Winter Sun

[Cody]

A week of winter sun, they called it. Note the lack of sunseekers, the low cloud, and the bitter northerly howling through the palm tree:



There was even snow on El Teide - couldn't get up there as the roads were shut. Mind you, my old lungs wouldn't have liked the altitude.


Of course, there is always a rainbow to be found - somewhere:





I hadn't really used a camera since before there was a D in front of SLR - not too bad. <buffs nails>

[Alex]

Er.. They aint palm trees. Maybe the wind blown one to the right? I've seen palms grow well in Scotland, even covered in snow.
Is it a case of stereotyping trees?

[Cody]

Maybe the wind blown one to the right?

Yep, I reckon that's a palm tree - try another angle:

[Griff]

oo that does look a bit cold, hope they had the central heating on indoors cody That coastline looks awesome

[Alex]

Yup it can get cold in the tropics. Mostly when there are good sized mountains to divert air flow.

But back to the palm in a storm. Bet the palm would stand longer than the pine against wind.

[Cody]

oo that does look a bit cold, hope they had the central heating on indoors cody

No heating in hotels down there!

That coastline looks awesome

It is! Acantilados de Los Gigantes (Cliffs of the Giants) - 500-800m high.

Bet the palm would stand longer than the pine against wind.

<nods> They know how to bend, do palm trees.

[Alex]

The Cliffs are amazing.. But was the ocean warm enough to swim? Were the sharks big enough to make you think twice?

Funny little thing. Palms like bananas are not trees. Just bloomin huge herbs. Ye parsley gone wild. Something to do with 'wood'.

Always makes me smile. Try telling that to a coconut!
Your just a herb seed!
Never sleep on a tropical beach with ease again.

[Cody]

Sea temperature was 18-20° C - but I wasn't there for the swimming. Not much of a beach where I was.
Sharks, including great whites, are known to frequent those waters, but rarely inshore - or so they say.

Never sleep on a tropical beach with ease again.

There are many hazards associated with sleeping on beaches!

[Alex]

Cody said
"Sharks, including great whites, are known to frequent those waters, but rarely inshore - or so they say."

Who say? Here in Perth WA a few years ago, a bloke was standing in the water to his knees. Very popular beach. Shark took his shins and feet in one quick pass. Pulled from the water and bled out in seconds. Bet that wasn't much advertised. Really bad for tourism.
Then there are the Bull Sharks. They don't mind salt or fresh water. A lot smaller than Great Whites. But just as hungry. 4 people in 3 years in WA rivers.

When I first came here to live, I loved diving into the breakers. Even seen a few sharks in there with me. Small stuff that the fish n chippy sold as 'flake'. Real tasty too.
Then we as people over fished the sharks food, they came inshore.
What a surprise!

I don't swim in the ocean anymore. The over chlorinated pool is much safer. Which I stopped doing as a result of the over chlorination. When it burns your eyes, it's way too much.