Santa Cruz has a modern tram system built by Alstom that I had not noticed last year but then we were only in port for a short time and I went whale-watching from the marina adjacent to the port. Somebody had mentioned that a ride on the tram to the neighbouring town of La Laguna up in the mountains was a must and having completed half my intended walk I came across the tram stop. It took about 10 minutes to work out how to buy a ticket – Spanish instructions only – and I never did find how to get a return ticket but clutching my hard won €1.35 ticket I boarded the smart new tram and negotiated the ticket validation machine after some help from a local – ‘Reverso! Riverso!’ – i.e. ‘Don’t put it in upside down!! and sat back to enjoy the smooth and swift climb to La Laguna. I’m not sure how far we climbed in 25 minutes but my ears were popping by the time I reached Il Destino – Yes I did manage to work out that meant Terminus.
More by luck than judgement I walked in the right direction towards the old town which is a World Heritage Site and then fortuitously as I ambled along admiring the old Spanish buildings my eye was drawn to a gateway into a courtyard garden which turned out to be the location of the Tourist Information Centre!!
Armed with a map and directions as to the best streets to visit I spent a very pleasant hour exploring this once capital of Tenerife with its rich merchant houses, churches, convents and cobbled streets. The town was deserted – siesta time I guess – but it was a real pleasure to wander in the sunshine viewing the old houses and odd palace!!
When I was selecting the photo to accompany this posting I noticed some ghost like figures on the wall of the house. I don’t recall seeing these when I took the picture so has my camera picked up some friendly ghosts? See what you think.
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