Twin peaks and a giant's organ

Tenerife's Teide mountain, at more than 12.000 feet Spain's highest peak, seen in the background left with a rock of similar shape at La Gomera's most north-western point near the famous landmark cliffs of Los Organos. These spectacular basalt formations (below) can only be seen from the sea and a trip to Los Organos from Valle Gran on an excursion boat is highly recommended, but the seas can be rough in this windswept remote corner of La Gomera.

Partial view of Los Organos. The whole cliff, resembling a giant's church organ, is about 600ft wide and rises to 250ft tall, with enormous prismatic columns of basalt that drop down the cliff face into the sea and continue under water, all visible only from a boat in the clear Atlantic around La Gomera.

White Teide

Tenerife's Teide peak seen from La Gomera yesterday

Mount Teide on Tenerife is Spain's highest mountain at more than 12.000 ft, but given the benign Canarian climate with many visitors getting sunburnt below the peak on the beaches of Tenerife, the past weekend was exceptionally cold and left a rare white mark even on the lower slopes of the volcanic cone of our neighbouring island. They even have got  snow-ploughs to deal with the white stuff over there. On your upcoming trip to the Canaries don't forget to pack your skis along with your trunks and bikinis.