Have a rest...

I took this photo recently at El Cepo near Las Rosas in La Gomera's north, a geologically very interesting area

Historical image is oldest known

                                       

Above is the oldest known photograph of Valle Gran Rey in La Gomera's southwest. It was taken by French photographer Charles Alluaud in 1883 and shows La Merica mountain and the then tiny settlement of La Calera at its foot. Now La Calera is home to the administration of the municipal district of Valle Gran Rey, but when above image was taken the village of Arure, high up in the mountains to the north, was still the ''capital'' of the municipality. There's no sign yet of any infrastructure nor major agriculture. The lower valley then was still very thinly populated and looks like a barren wasteland as the large tomato and banana plantations were created in later years with soil brought from the fertile areas further up in the mountains. 

The tomatoes have now gone again and the banana plantations are receding more and more. A lot more houses and apartment blocks have grown since, though. The image was probably taken from the Vueltas or Charco del Conde area and was shown at a recent exhibition of La Gomera photographs following a competition, organised by the island's government. Below is a photo I took in more recent times, but from a different location. The 1883 view angle is now obstructed by buildings, so I doctored mine a bit it to make it look older:

The Trap

Above image shows part of the spectacular landscape at El Cepo near the village of Las Rosas, close to La Gomera's northern coast. 'El Cepo' translates as 'The Trap' and indeed there are many traps in the area, as there are precipitous drops and no marked paths. However, La Gomera's steep landscape contains lots of vertigo-inducing cliffs and mountain passes, so caution is always advised. 

Sixes and Twos

Spotted in Barranco del Ingenio, near Vallehermoso, in La Gomera's north-west a while back

Double vision

Spotted in Barranco de Ingenio near Vallehermoso 

La Gomera sunset above the clouds

The photographs below were taken at the 'Mirador de Vallehermoso' a few miles north of the centre of La Gomera yesterday. The elevation is about 2500 feet.

La Gomera boasts lots of these viewing points and platforms that are called 'mirador' and most offer explanatory signage in English, ample parking, recycling bins, and some even are wheelchair accessible. All are well worth a visit, but can sometimes be shrouded in mist.

      Sunset seen from  La Gomera with the two crests of La Palma island showing in the distance (on right)             

Taken from the same viewpoint a couple of hours before as the mist was cascading into the valley. Vallehermoso  town and its water reservoir can be seen and the twin crests of La Palma island appear to be floating on the mist.