Visiting the second-largest of the Canary Islands, just for a few walks and sightseeing. December 2014.
Where to escape the December depression for someone from the Cancer zodiac sign, if not towards the Tropic of Cancer? The south coast of Gran Canaria one is the most frequented tourist destinations, but with a hired car the island interior is open for discoveries, and, in parts, it is surprisingly attractive for hiking. But it came without surprise that the Sahara-like dunes of Maspalomas — although just in sight of a luxurious hotel — were the highlight of the trip.
- Gallery Gran Canaria on pastvoyages.jankowski.org
- Gallery (183 images)
Barranco de Tirajana :: Pico de las Nieves in clouds :: Cruz Grande pass far behind
Barranco de Tirajana :: just another reservoir dam
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: green surroundings
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: the church a day after St. Lucia fiesta
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: a palm grove inside the village
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: the procession figure a day after St. Lucia fiesta
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: typical Canarian houses around the St. Lucia church
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: by the main road
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: pssst, a small child sleeps in the souvenir shop
Santa Lucía de Tirajana :: all you can buy
San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Tunte) :: spread houses below Pico de las Nieves
Cuesta de Fataga :: pines and cacti
Cuesta de Fataga :: sunset approaches
Mirador Fataga :: Fataga lights, central mountains in clouds
Mirador Fataga :: Far Maspalomas view
San Augustín coast :: a windy morning
In Mogán :: cafe leche-leche
Puerto de Mogán :: The Barranco de Mogán outflow and the Playa behind
Puerto de Mogán :: The Barranco de Mogán outflow and the new town behind
Puerto de Mogán :: the yacht harbour :: this one arrived lately
Puerto de Mogán :: in the artificial old town
Puerto de Mogán :: flowers
Puerto de Mogán :: a booming market
Playa de Taurito :: the hotel complex seen from the car window
Playa de Taurito :: you do not need the sea
Puerto Rico :: The Playa
Playa de Maspalomas
Playa de Maspalomas :: too many sunset photographers
Above Mogán :: Los Azulejos rocks
Degollada de la Aldea :: La Aldea (de San Nicolás) view
Degollada de la Aldea :: the view towards Veneguera
Bushes by La Aldea
La Aldea (de San Nicolás)
West Coast :: Playa de la Aldea
West Coast :: North of Playa de la Aldea :: a fresh rain
West Coast :: Mirador del Balcón :: looking north
West Coast :: Mirador del Balcón :: looking south
West Coast :: Mirador del Balcón :: looking down
West Coast :: By Montaña Cerrada :: bushes
West Coast :: By Montaña Cerrada :: looking north
West Coast :: On the road :: Somewhere by El Risco
West Coast :: By Guayedra :: Puerto de las Nieves view
West Coast :: By Guayedra :: looking south
West Coast :: By Guayedra :: the road along the coast
West Coast :: Puerto de las Nieves :: a Fred Olsen ferry to Tenerife
West Coast :: Puerto de las Nieves :: La Eremita, the church with precoius interior
West Coast :: Puerto de las Nieves :: Playa, Roque de las Nieves
West Coast :: Puerto de las Nieves :: a street scene
Gáldar :: a street by the main church
Gáldar :: no, this zombie is not St. Lucia, definitely
Gáldar :: a street scene
Gáldar :: Felice Fiestas or... Siestas?
Barranco de Azuaje
Barranco de Azuaje :: Do not drive by rain?
Mirador Balcón de Zamora :: the view down to Teror, Las Palmas far to the left
Teror :: the old town houses
Teror :: Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pino
Teror :: Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pino
Teror :: Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pino
Teror :: Virgen del Pino image
Teror :: Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pino :: excessive acupuncture is painful
Teror :: the sleepy main street
Arucas :: cold evening
The ugly motorway south of Las Palmas
Upper Barranco de Arguineguín :: El Barranquillo Andrés
Degollada de Tauro :: starting the climb towards Montaña de Tauro
Montaña de Tauro :: a sparse pine forest :: Barranco de Mogán behind
Montaña de Tauro :: Degollada de Tauro suroundings :: looking towards the central calderas
Montaña de Tauro :: on the way
Montaña de Tauro :: an (old Canarian cult?) platform north of the Tauro top
Montaña de Tauro :: Barranco de Arguineguín, Soria lake partly seen
Montaña de Tauro :: climbing to the top proper :: Barranco de Arguineguín behind
Montaña de Tauro :: Barranco de Veneguera, Los Azulejos rocks below
Montaña de Tauro :: the unspectacular top, looking southwest to Guirre ridges
Montaña de Tauro west wall :: Mirador Altos de Montaña :: Mogán below
Mirador Altos de Montaña :: a high place
Mirador Altos de Montaña :: Degollada de Tauro suroundings :: central mountains in clouds
Mirador Altos de Montaña :: upper Barrancos de Mogán, de Veneguera :: Degollada de Veneguera and de la Aldea behind
Mirador Altos de Montaña :: upper Barranco de Mogán, Montaña de Sándara ridges (The Inagua Reservation)
Mirador Altos de Montaña :: surroundings of lakes de la Cueva de las Niñas (seen) and Soria (not seen)
Montaña de Tauro :: on the way back
Barranco de Arguineguín :: a typical village bar in Soria
Barranco de Arguineguín
Barranco de Arguineguín :: a strange pyramid on the way down home
Barranco de Arguineguín :: looking back towards Soria
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: La Charca lagoon
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: climbing the first one on the way to Playa del Inglés
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: sand bushes
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: sand bushes
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: another bushes...
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: overgrown dunes
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: naked dunes as seen from the Riu Palace Hotel, Playa del Inglés
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: heading toward the sea
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: heading toward the sea (contrast)
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: on a windy ridge
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: following a ridge
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: following a ridge (contrast)
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: the sun gets lower
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: further along the ridge, looking back to the Riu Palace Hotel
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: the sea is near
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: sand ripples
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: ripples
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: further along the ridge, looking back to the Riu Palace Hotel
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: just another rippled sand dune
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: rippled sand formations
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: a pretty tall one
Las Dunas de Maspalomas :: a few steps to the shore
Playa de Maspalomas :: the sunset approaching by the dunes
Playa de Maspalomas :: reddish clouds
Playa de Maspalomas :: sunset
Mirador de Fataga on the way to San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Tunte) :: looking north to the central mountains
San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Tunte) below :: the central mountains hidden in the passat cloud
To Degollada de Manzanilla :: cactus bushes
To Degollada de Manzanilla :: on the dusty pista from Tunte
To Degollada de Manzanilla :: the pass in sight
To Degollada de Manzanilla :: a water source by the road
Degollada de Manzanilla :: looking northwest behind the pass :: Morro de la Hierba Huerto
Degollada de Manzanilla :: looking back :: the road from Tunte, Santa Lucía far above, Fataga below
Degollada de Manzanilla :: looking southwest :: Barranco de Pilancones and de la Data behind
Behind Degollada de Manzanilla :: volcanic rocks and cntrasting green
Behind Degollada de Manzanilla :: the view of Morro de la Hierba Huerto
A couloir from Morro de Las Vacas
Degollada de Rosiana :: Pico de las Nieves in passat clouds
By Degollada de Rosiana
In upper Barranco de Pilancones
By Morro Guanil :: Barranco de Pilancones, Morro de las Vacas
By Morro Guanil :: Barranco de Pilancones, Cumbre de Trujillo
By Morro Guanil :: Barranco de Pilancones, Barranco de la Data, Montaña Negra
Nearby Degollada del Dinero :: Barranco de la Data
Nearby Degollada del Dinero :: Morro de la Hierba Huerto :: the far view towards Inagua Reservation ridges
Degollada del Dinero :: upper Barranco del la Data
Degollada del Dinero :: Morro de la Hierba Huerto
Pico de las Nieves :: Teide on the Tenerife
Pico de las Nieves :: Roque Nublo stretching out from the clouds
Pico de las Nieves :: looking south, Tunte in clouds down below
Pico de las Nieves :: looking southeast towards the military installations
Pico de las Nieves :: the sun is getting lower :: Roque Nublo and Teide
Pico de las Nieves :: western ridge
Pico de las Nieves :: just after the sunset :: Roque Nublo and Teide zoomed
Las Palmas :: Auditorio Alfredo Kraus
Las Palmas :: Auditorio Alfredo Kraus
Las Palmas :: Auditorio Alfredo Kraus
Las Palmas :: Auditorio Alfredo Kraus :: the interior
San Augustín hotel
Ayacata village :: Roque Nublo ridge above
By La Goleta :: Roque Nublo
By La Goleta :: pine cones
El Montañon :: looking towards Pico de Las Nieves
El Montañon :: Roque Nublo
El Montañon :: Moriscos, Cruz de Tejeda
El Montañon :: the broad ridge, Montaña de Asserador, Roque Nublo, Teide on the Tenerife far behind
El Montañon :: looking southwest :: reservoirs of upper Barranco de Arguineguín far behind
By Degollade de los Homos :: just two of us
By Garanón, Corral de los Juncos :: Roque Nublo, Roque Bentaiga, Altavista, Teide far behind
By Garanón, Corral de los Juncos :: the Tejeda valley :: pointy Roque Bentaiga, Altavista, Teide far behind
Descend to La Culeta :: an old camino real
Descend to La Culeta well below
Descend to La Culeta :: traversing
Descend to La Culeta :: Roque Bentaiga, Altavista, Teide zoomed
La Culeta :: the village
La Culeta :: the trail to Roque Nublo description
By Roque Nublo :: house ruins well below La Goleta
By Roque Nublo :: climbng a ridge opposite La Goleta
By Roque Nublo :: approaching
By Roque Nublo :: getting to Degollada Blanca
By Roque Nublo :: on the ridge of Degollada Blanca
By Roque Nublo :: El Fraile rock, Pico de las Nieves behind
By Roque Nublo :: approaching the highest rocks
By Roque Nublo :: looking south towards Barranco de Arguineguín suroundings, Montaña Tauro
By Roque Nublo :: the far Teide in sight
By Roque Nublo :: the neighbour and the main rock of Roque Nublo
By Roque Nublo :: looking down to the Barranco de la Aldea
By Roque Nublo :: El Fraile, Pico de las Nieves ridge
By Roque Nublo :: looking towards Altavista und Teide
By Roque Nublo :: Roque Nublo en face
By Roque Nublo :: the far Teide in sight :: talking with the sunset watchers
By Roque Nublo :: the ridge towards Degollada Blanca in the setting sun
By Roque Nublo :: just above Degollada Blanca :: El Fraile, Pico de las Nieves
By Roque Nublo :: El Fraile in the last sun rays
By La Goleta :: the valley of Ayacata :: post-sunset clouds
By La Goleta :: Ayacata below
By La Goleta :: the clouds turned already grey of higher resolution pictures