So it gets daylight later here than at home, but then I  realise that we’re significantly further west. Anyway woke up feeling that I’d had a good night’s sleep but still a bit travel weary. We both agreed that the day would be best spent discovering Puerto de la Cruz, and as this required little effort on our part a leisurely breakfast was enjoyed.

We walked out and along the seafront towards the old part of town (and to get away from the Tourist shops); for those not familiar with northwest Tenerife, it’s volcanic with black sand and very rugged volcanic cliffs, like this.

We continued along until we came to the old fishing harbour where we came across this statue of what we took to be a fisher girl, but couldn’t make out the descriptive plaque.

I think she looks surprised about something but heaven knows what exactly.

We stopped for a morning coffee and some people watching then wandered off and found the very charming little Ermita de San Francisco which dates back to 1599. Inside it was very richly decorated

and also has some wonderful plaques of ‘mysterious beasts’ on the pulpit. Here’s a winged lion.

On our way back to the hotel we saw that there are some glorious flowers and blossom out here. There was one tree wafting a very heady scent of orange blossom and some brilliant hibiscus too.

After lunch I’m afraid to say that I took myself off into the Lounge where I enjoyed the excellent rugby with England just beating Wales. A bit off a cliffhanger which I watched on my tablet and with earphones on. I did get some quite odd looks when England scored a try and I was silently punching the air. Isn’t the internet wonderful.

Finally, something about buskers. I enjoy street performance and will happily make a contribution to a good juggler, or musician, or perhaps a unicyclist, all of whom are actually doing something to earn a bit of money. Where I struggle is with so called “living statues”. Now Mrs Sixwheeler tells me that it’s very skillful and disciplined, but to me it’s always been sitting around doing nothing, which I’m very good at and find needs no skill at all. Anyway today I came across a living statue the like of which I’ve never seen before, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and I have to say that I felt very uncomfortable with the whole idea.

Tomorrow has a good weather forecast so we will be venturing out in the car.

12 March 2016