La Isla Bonita

That is the name which was given to La Palma because of the beautiful forests, mountains and other green areas it has. AURI, my wonderful hosting organization and work place, organized a 5 days long trip here. This is another experience which is really difficult to describe with words. I will try it but I guess the pictures will tell more this time. We had three amazing natural sights, I would like to highlight them in this entry.

This is the volcano which erupted in 1971 so it suppose to be the "freshest" one. 

And the one with a wonderful view

Undoubtedly my favourite spot was the Roque de los Muchachos

Here at the altitude of 2500 meters, there is the observatory where you can find the biggest telescope of the world.

The expert lady (!) told me that they can see until 30 billion light years with it... Maybe they can see it, but it is impossible for me to imagine this distance...

The very first day we did a 13 km long hiking through 13 tunnels. One of them had a waterfall above so actually we had to wade a small river while it was also falling like a heavy rain, indescribable experience.

I am still huge fun of lighthouses, this one was specially nice as next to the new one we could see the old one too.

Besides the beautiful nature, La Palma also has something really interesting to show. The Salina, which means the place where they are producing salt, is located right next to the ocean so they can lead the water into different pools on different weathers and the help with the sun and wind they can make the water evaporate and manufacture the finest salt. We tasted a special version called "salt rose" which is flowing on the top of the water (unlike the "normal ones" which sit on the bottom of the pool) and has a very special shape. This is one of the most interesting places where I have ever been. It is a simple idea though it's simply perfect!

Sunset above the Salina

When it is ready to be packed:

I was wondering, for how long would this mountain be enough for my mum to prepare my favourite dishes...?!!

Well, as I started this also as a small gastro blog I should not leave out our delicious pumpkin cream soup and goat cheese dinner with candle light in the capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma. Perfect ending.

Tablas de San Andrés

In Tenerife the only place where sometimes you can find snow is the top of the Teide. I will never forget the moment a few weeks ago when we were in the mountains, inside the rural house (vid. Viva la vida nómada!) and suddenly somebody shouted: "Dios mío! There is snow on Teide" everybody run out immediately and we were standing out there in the cold staring at the volcano for long-long minutes. Magical moment. A really special one. 

This means that the concept of sledging also has to be different. Icod de los vinos is a town famous of its wine...except one day of the year when they celebrate the day of San Andrés with a very special event. Namely they take a piece of board and they slide down with it from one of the steepest street of the city. It is a very old tradition which makes the whole place full of life as everybody is participating. The braver ones are doing it meanwhile the rest is watching and eating roasted chestnuts. The event can not be the same without this epicureanism. It is only me who connected this event to the first snow in Hungary (as we are actually doing the same thing on a snowy hill), but originally here it is the celebration of the new wine. This means that we had to organize a trip here for the Erasmus students as all of the wine producers offer their wine for a free taste:)

Not only adults but children are also big fans of the "Tablas". This group was nice enough to lend us their board for a try-out. Marcos (in the middle) was the star of the street as he was the fastest and coolest from all of them:)

And there is the adult version...

I find it important to emphasize that there are serious injuries every year so don't try this at your home city!:)

Getting older...

My 22nd birthday in pictures and in few words.

My amazing friends prepared the perfect birthday breakfast con un montón de corazón:)

Ocean. Sunshine. One of my favourite books. The ingredients of a perfect (birth)day.

For lunch we had this special extra yummy cake

And yes, believe it or not, I am that super lucky girl who has two cakes on her birthday:) <3

And the most beautiful handmade present, a book where I can lead my life, impossible to explain how brilliant present it is, simply a super creative and amazing surprise:)

I am so grateful for all of these! Thank you guys:)