Myself and Mike Bolognesi headed up to Teide on Wednesday night, 16th March hoping for some thick layers of snow. On these occasions the snow is accompanied by stormy weather and thus lots of clouds. That night conditions seemed pretty ideal since the sky showed to be clear thanks to the Teide webcams up there placed by Bradford Telescope in the UK.

Once up there, arriving a bit late, we found that most of the snow we hoped for had gone. Nonetheless the mixture of snow and rough lava textures did produce some interesting contrasts. The moon was some 80% illuminated and high in the sky. A suberb combination as the moonlight gets reflected lighting up the foreground, especially the snow. The atmosphere was very eerie as we could see perfectly well in the dark and the silence added to the spookiness. I quite enjoyed the serene tranquillity. Everything could be heard and we clearly perceived a big landslide on the las Cañadas ridge. The temperature was plummeting and lowest we registered was -6 Celsius.

We setup our tripods in Llano de Ucanca and could compose reasonably well. In that area the north star hovers directly over Teide´s nib so we were pointing straight at it with our cameras, a key element to a successful star trail just above Teide. I set my camera to 30 seconds at 200 ISO and aperture of f3.2with my Tokina 11-16mm f2.8.

Why f3.2 when the lens can open right up to f2.8?

You may be wondering this since its logical to capture more light but a wide open lens suffers from coma. Its where the edges will appear softer so its better to stop the lens down for more sharpness.

I set the camera to high speed and used a remote release cable set to bulb and leave for 1hr/ 1.5hrs in total. The result is that after each exposure the camera automatically takes a another shot without a break. This is important for a seamless, long star trail.

Important: Since batteries drain extremely fast in the cold check you have enough charged batteries with you, and if necessary bring a battery grip to extend battery time!

All seemed to go well apart from the freezing cold creeping in till mike started to notice that his lens was getting fogged up and icing all over. He had done a good 40mins worth of exposures and now his shots were ruined. I checked the front of my lens but all was good! We continued shooting and mike was cleaning and rubbing his lens to no avail. At first we thought it was his UV lens protect filter but no matter what he did it just wouldn’t stop. Soon enough the whole floor was glistening with frost and everything else followed. My whole camera was frosted but my front lens element was fine..

Eventually the only sound explanation we came up with was that it was covered by a thin film of salt water. I had been shooting the coastline earlier that day and hadn’t cleaned my lens whereas mike did. We searched the internet for solutions of all sorts but found nothing specific at all.

From: tenerifephotography.blogspot.com

If you want to splash out on your next holiday, why not treat someone to a helicopter island tour? You’ll be amazed at just how easy it is to organise and there’s a whole range of fascinating sights to be seen. You could arrange to get picked up from your lodgings, in Ibiza, Menorca or Tenerife hotels, or you could rent a car and make your way using your own means. Either way, helicopter holidays are definitely the way forward in terms of extravagance and make for a very exciting trip.

Tenerife, Ibiza and Menorca are all fantastic islands that have something unique to offer. It might be an idea to research these independently so that you have a decent idea of which island suits you best. If you want a more relaxing, chilled out vibe, head to Menorca where you’ll find a laid-back, truly traditional attitude amongst the locals. You can see the island’s magnificent scenery from a helicopter and it’s the only way to take it all in in style. Menorca hotels aren’t too expensive either, so you should seriously consider taking your next holiday to this exotic island.

Tenerife really is a great place to go on holiday as it has so much spectacular scenery. It boasts a volcano and fruitful forests, making it an ideal place to go for a helicopter tour. The Pico del Teide is Spain’s tallest peak, surrounded by a moonscape of rock formations and volcanic colours and the only true way to see it is by the skies. For an extra special stay why not opt for a luxurious five star Tenerife hotel?

Ibiza really is a place that you can have a great holiday, especially as it’s got a great nightlife, so you can really dance your nights away. And in the early evening, why not watch the sunset during your helicopter tour above this magnificent island? Ibiza has everything you could possibly need to enjoy your holiday from home, so you may want to consider a holiday here this summer.

From: travel-ideas-for-couples.blogspot.com

During those 4 years I wanted to come back to Tenerife every year but school and other circumstances weren´t on my side. Finally this year I was able to put it all together, plan the trip to this great place again and enjoy few days riding on the sun with dust on the ground. And no snow at all!
With my friend Martin we packed our freeride bikes and flew to Tenerife for spending there a 10 days of riding and hard training for upcoming fourcross season. Our base was in a city Puerto de la Cruz which is probably the best place as a base for riding bike on Tenerife. Every morning there is bus coming up to the Pico del Teide (El Portillo bus station) and you can use it as shuttle for a downhill run. At the top (at almost 2000m high) you just have to choose one of many DH/FR trails that bring you down to the sea. It is good to meet and ride with some local riders as they know exactly where and how you can ride. They are really nice people and can also show you the best tracks on island, not just from El Portillo but also on other places. On the week days we met in the bus about 5-10riders and on weekends the bus is normally full of bikers and it is hard to get in with the bike. The cost is about 3,50 euro but you can have it cheaper if you buy a bus credit ticket for multiple runs. This is just one of many possibilities of riding on Tenerife. Basically you can ride from the hill (Pico del Teide) on almost all sides of the island.

Another very good location is close to north airport of Tenerife and La Laguna city. The direction to Teide is a great place for riding a XC bike. There are plenty of forest roads and you can find there some singletracks as well. Endless riding.

If you come to Tenerife with a bike you have to definitely visit a local bikepark. Even the hill is much smaller than a hills in the Alps you can find here about 4-5 tracks. The best bike for bikepark is probably the freeride bike (about 16-16cm of travel) but there are lots of guys riding downhill bikes as well as some hardtails. Shuttling here is provided by a truck and it takes you about 15minutes to make a run up and down. More info about riding and conditions of the bikepark can be found on www.bikeparktenerife.com.

Most of our stay we were riding from El Portillo down to Puerto. One day we tried other side of the island and did one really long track finishing in Arafo. Some parts of this track were completely different and we were riding on the lava sand. It was great fun and the same feeling as on the snow. Last day we spent with Zeno and Gumi who are really pushing biking on Tenerife and they showed us one trail that they want to repair and make ready for biking. The trail was pretty long, not too much downhill, more like enduro riding but there were still some really technical parts. The trail is in the natural park called Anaga (Parque Rural de Anaga). It starts on the hill called Pico del Ingles and finishes by the sea in Santa Cruz. This trail will be part of a trail net (approximately 5-6 trails enduro, freeride, dh) that should be opened in September. So the possibilities of riding on Tenerife will increase.

Starting our last ride with a sunny and hot weather we were little bit unlucky that in the middle of the trail the rain came to us. Fortunately it wasn´t cold at all and the ground was just a little bit muddy so it was fun to ride next to cactus on the wet trail.
10 days were gone too fast and we had to go back to Czech winter reality. We had sun and temperatures about 20-25 degrees Celsium almost every day which is for January great. I can´t thanks enough to local guys who rode with us and showed us great riding. Thanks to Dani, Zeno, Moises and for sure bikeparktenerife.com.

So if you are bored during winter time and don´t like snow you can try to come to Tenerife! I think you won´t be disappointed!

From: http://www.foxhead.com/us/mtb/blog/id/24076

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore - is a most knows buiding in Florence and one of the main sight of the Italy.   History of building Florence Cathedral is  very interesting: and  great interest causes a dome of Basilica, whic was built by Filippo Brunelleschi

The night life in hotels is not less sated: discos, representations, thematic show programs, live music. In the majority of hotels of number TV, a bathroom, the safe are equipped by conditioners. Minibars and hair dryers are not everywhere. “A Base” food — a half board (a buffet with rich assortment of fish, meat dishes, vegetables, fruit and desserts), meets and all inclusive. It is possible to have dinner at hotel restaurant in the afternoon, and it is possible to go to a city behind new culinary impressions.

Tourists usually come to Santa Cruz or on a carnival (passes in February and on scope does not concede Venetian), or behind purchases. A city - very modern: with road stoppers, high-rise buildings from glass and concrete, parks, museums, business and large shopping centres etc. As a result the sensation that you are on small island completely vanishes. In the afternoon when from heat плавится asphalt, unique islets of a life there are conditioned open spaces of large shopping centres. Fruit, medicines, souvenirs here costs cheaper much more, than in tourist “reservations”.

That who is not assured of the драйверских abilities, we recommend to use roads in the east of island: they both are wider, and is quieter.

Lifting on a volcano tyres with a heat accruing together with height and absence of a shade a little. Thus the streamer over a precipice seems infinite, and water in bottles (which it is by all means necessary to take with itself) promptly heats up. But landscapes here - really “Martian”!

Unfortunately, to the crater of a volcano of tourists do not lift - the cable car booth stops in 150 m from top. Here the tracks conducting to a viewing platform are laid. The sports footwear and warm clothes are obligatory: the temperature here - only 10 °С also walks a strong wind. Here and there from under rock the smoke makes the way. After returning to “continent” to each tourist give a badge with instructions of the top “subdued” by it.

The sightseeing tour on cities of Tenerife can be begun with its capital - Santa-Kruz-de-Tenerife. From southern coast of island which was chosen for beach rest by tourists, on a motorway laid practically on all perimetre of island, the road to Santa Cruz occupies about 1 hour. The way passes along ocean coast. In rocks the set of short tunnels is cut through, and on road it is possible to admire whole “плантацими” wind-driven generators: of ecology here care. The maximum resolved speed - 120 km/h.

Road outcomes in the form of crossroads with a circular motion are very popular. Indexes are located very witty: first, the arrow necessary to you will show strictly in the middle between two possible congresses, and secondly, on the index the concrete settlement, and the general direction (the map should be studied very thoughtfully) is frequently written not. In general if you managed to leave from the first correctly, remember road – in the second time so hardly will carry. By the way, if there are no additional signs at a crossroads with a circular motion the one who the first has driven on a circle has advantage.

Here come to have a rest from heat, to admire unique inhabitants of park: a white tiger, a dragon from island Komodo and also to take pleasure in show of the trained birds of prey: eagles, owls and hawks. Children without mind from “road of jungle” - a fascinating obstacle course in the extent some tens metres.

The more rent term, the more cheaply cost of one days; if pledge does not undertake separately, means, it enters into rent cost, and you lose 50-70 euros. Car run is not limited.

Consider that in the absence of the conditioner heated up to a frying pan condition on a plate the car can become the ideal tool of torture. By the way, all cars parked for long term here need to be protected in addition from the sun by means of a special multilayered cellophane overlay which is established on a windshield (from within or outside). It give out together with keys from the car.

Having bought for 3 euros an island map, we have solved, as test drive, to sweep to the first point of our excursion program - in “Jungle-parks” (or “Park of eagles”) which is located all in several kilometres from a tourist zone of Las-Amerikas. “Jungle-parks” is “three in one”: a zoo, a botanical garden and park of miniattractions.