Day 3–in Tenerife

 Sun is shining! Lovely, but an incredible wind.  The waves crash up over the rocks, and even when we were 25ft above the sea, we were in the sea mist.  Lovely to watch! This morning we walked to the Botanical Gardens.  Trees, shrubs, plants, from all over the sub tropical world , India, Africa, Brazil, China, Australia, and Japan, etc.  — didn’t see anything from Canada!  Wonder why?  The city is so busy, houses stacked above each other, so many!  And of course we are in the tourist area, so that makes it even busier. It amazes us to see how the bus drivers get around!  

Didn’t look like much of a tree, but you could see the coffee beans in the branches

This one is from Brazil, although Renata says she has never seen one! 

Orchids

Ficus tree roots

These big ‘things’ hang down from tree branches, and if allowed to touch the ground they become another tree

Another grouping of the ficus tree.  

Unfortunately nothing was in English, but this was pretty

Day 2 in the canaries

 By the way, the islands are not named after birds, but rather the Latin name for dogs— which is canaria and was given by the first European to arrive here.   Insula Canaria— island of the dogs! 

Today we did a-bus tour of the city, and its many ports.  From ocean side to ‘not quite the top of a mountain’, but we were way up there.  Lots of walking and stairs up. Great day, lovely sunshine. 

In one of the town squares they make carpets of sand and small stones— would have loved to see one, but this is the best I could do. 

Finally back to the hotel, to put our feet up!  

We climbed up here, it’s a ‘free Mason’ church.  Not well tolerated by the locals at the time. 

Views from the top

More views

And more views from the Free Mason temple.

So many houses!  

Walked thru beautiful green garden areas.  The whole city is very green.

One of the ports 

Visited a church, grossly ornate!  

This is not a tree, they tell us, it’s a plant! 

Large fountain in the background 

So we started out by the sea— these are salt water pools for swimming 

Tenerife— day one

 Oh my goodness, it is so beautiful here.  From our hotel room balcony, we have a wonderful view of the sea, with the waves crashing on the rocks.  Walked and walked , the beaches as you can see are black sand, from the volcanic rock.   Sun shone, lovely temperature.  After rainy cold Dublin, this is a treat.  

Walking about uptown 

Our hotel

Black sand beach

Volcanic rock

Wonderful cliffs, with houses right up the mountain side

Our hotel— we are on the 6th floor 

View from our balcony 

View from our balcony.  

April 14th

After 21 states, 2 provinces, and Mexico,,—around 12000 miles, and

6  1/2 months.  We are home!!  What a trip, we’ve certainly seen some wonderful sites. Inspite of our cramped  quarters, the little camper was perfect for travelling.  Everything worked, we had no problem with anything.  This is what we came home to— snow!!  Don’t think we will be taking the 5th wheel up to sit by the cottage, any time soon.   So now it’s time to settle down and enjoy the lake, for the summer.

April the 10th Springfield Pa

So heading east-first stop is in Valdalia on the Mississippi River.   Never seen the river so high, I think they told us it was 58ft, that’s about 28 ft above normal.  It had risen over the walking path along the rivers edge the week before.  Watched the tugs pushing barges up stream.  Then on to the Natchez trace, 444 miles of lovely quiet road thru 3 states.  No commercial vehicles allowed.  In the 1700s and early 1800s growing numbers of travelers trampled the trail into a clearly marked path.  Some stopping places along the highway allow you to hike along the old sunken trail.  Green fields,  and trees in full leaf, wisteria hanging from vines, red bud and cherry trees in bloom.  Lovely peaceful drive.  Then on through Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland and finally into Springfield PA.  The one view of the  lake is from the visitor center entering into Maryland.  After driving thru heavy rain, up and down small mountains ,  and terrible traffic, we arrived at our cousins house.  Walked around the streets today to see the magnolias - unbelievably beautiful!!  Soon will be heading north—hoping the snow has finally melted

Leaving Fredericksburg

Just few pics of the wonderful old homes right in downtown Fredericksburg!  Some log, some stone, but all in really great shape and lived in.   Some of them are ‘Sunday houses’.  When the settlers came, mostly from Germany, they were given farming land and also a plot of land intown to build a small house.  On Saturday they would make the long trip to town to, trading produce for supplies they might. Driving around the town is a treat

need, then stay overnight in their Sunday home, go to church, visit, and then head for home.