Tenerife - Pico del Teide 1

On the way up into the mountains, a view of the Teide along the TF-21, some hundred meters before the viewpoint Mataznos.

During our first week on Tenerife, the weather in the north around Puerto de la Cruz was quite cold and rainy. So after the previous escapes into the warmer south, hoping for good weather above the clouds, we tried our luck and drove up into the Cañadas National Park. At least the start of this day was promising, blue sky and just some picturesque clouds around the Teide top.

Cologne - Woodland Spring

Last chance to catch the early bloomers in the woodland between Dellbrück and Brück in Cologne.

The trees and shrubs are already turning green again, but the anemones are still covering the forest floor.

Tenerife - Ghost Town near Abades 4

A somewhat eerie place.

The ghost town is actually an old leprosy patients settlement, which according to one of my travel guides has been given up in the 1920s. In addition, this seems to have been a restricted military area until some time ago, which explains why this area hasn’t been handed over to tourism.

Tenerife - Ghost Town near Abades 3

Into the ghost town with a view towards the lighthouse Faro de Abona.

Bare brickworks give the impression that the construction works had been abandoned in a hurry. Quite a difference to what you will see if you search Google for “Tenerife Abades”. ;-)

Cologne - Flora Spring

Spring time, perfectly warm and sunny weather, five stars on the comfortable feeling scale. ;-)

A perfect time to be in the Flora, the botanical garden in Cologne. Not much in blossom yet, but the fountain near the main entrance created this rainbow.

Tenerife - Ghost Town near Abades 2

Approaching the ghost town through Tenerife’s southern desert-like landscape.

An astonishing number of buildings comprises this area, abandoned construction sites which are now slowly decaying. This is an almost surreal contrast to Abades, which is a totally uniform village consisting of white sort of show houses with red rooftiles.

Tenerife - Ghost Town near Abades 1

Back again from a two week vacation on Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands.

The first all digital photo trip, with its own set of new challenges. Anyway, after some changes to my photo database and related scripts, the new images from Tenerife will be posted here in the photolog. Beyond simple vacation photographs I will try to show some different, maybe even strange aspects of Tenerife. And what would be a better starter than this ghost town …

Hallig Gröde - Nightfall

And then the light faded away, leaving a deep purple reverberation on the sea.

There will be a break in the Gröde series, as a visit to another island is about to commence. As I certainly will post some images from there first, it will take some time before new Gröde images will be available. But there many more in the queue and waiting to the scanner. So stay tuned. ;-)

Hallig Gröde - Sky on Fire 2

Close-up with the silhouette of Langeneß.

Catching this kind of sky, which completely fills your field of vision, on a photograph is an almost impossible task. A close-up such as this gives the glory of the gorgeous colors, but none of the vastness while standing at the edge of the sea.

Hallig Gröde - Sky on Fire 1

Back to the landscape. The climax of this beautiful day, the sky on fire some time after sunset.

The sunset itself was not special at all, the sun disc being very bright, not suitable for photography. But then came this wonderful, colorful sky.