Söndag 20 nov 2011 San Sebastian
Äntligen blev watermakern (avsaltningsanläggningen) klar. Spännande när högtryckspumpen sattes igång. Det pyste och gurglade i osmosfiltret. Först kom det saltvatten, men efter en stund rann det ljuvligaste sötvatten ur kranen. Båtgrannarna inbjöds till avsmakning. De smakade, rullade vattnet under tungan och gav betyget klart godkänt. Fantastiskt att ta in havsvatten och ur kranen rinner det gott sötvatten.
Egentillverkat dricksvatten / Home made drinking water |
Spektakulära bergsformationer Astonishing rocks |
Biltur i bergen / Car tour in the mountains |
By nere i dalen / Village down ín the valley |
Valle Gran Rey |
Både palmer och barrträd / Both palm trees and pine |
Bananer och papaya odlas / Bananas and papayas are cultivated |
Mitt på ön finns ett stort naturreservat med en mycket tät barrskog med en gammal trädsort som bara finns här. Med mycket regn och dis är träden bevuxna med lava och mossor, marken är täckt av ormbunkar. Man tror sig förflyttad till en regnskog. Många vandringsleder är anlagda och vi valde att vandra upp till öns högsta topp 1.487 m över havet. På toppen ligger en gammal kultplats där urbefolkningen offrade får och getter för att blidka gudarna. Vårt offer bestod mest av svett och tårar.
Tät urgammal skog / Dense ancient forest |
Vi körde in på en avstängd grusväg som slingrade sig utmed en brant bergssida som stupade ner i havet. Skyltar varnade för nedrasande stenar. Efter flera kilometer och en brant vandring nådde vi udden Puntallana med ett litet kapell. Där förvaras en staty av La Gomeras skyddshelgon Jungfrun av Guadelope. Dess namne är en ö i Karibien. Enligt sägnen såg man från ett fartyg på 1400-talet ljus i en grotta ovanför udden. Man rodde iland och fann statyn som togs med ombord. Fartyget fick ingen vind och kunde inte fara vidare så länge som statyn fanns ombord. Statyn återbördades till grottan, vinden återkom och fartyget seglade vidare. Man rapporterade händelsen till myndigheterna som beslöt att utnämna jungfrun till öns skyddshelgon. Varje oktober förs statyn i procession till kyrkan i San Sebastian och därpå runt till öns övriga kyrkor.
Kapell till La Gomeras skyddshelgon Chapel of the patron of La Gomera |
Sunday 20 Nov 2011 San Sebastian
Finally the watermaker (desalination plant) is ready. Thrilling when we started up the high pressure pump. It swished and gargled in the osmosis filter. First there was salty water, but after a while there came nice lovely fresh water from the tap. The neighbors were invited for tasting. They tasted, circled it in the mouth and gave their highest score. It is fabulous to take in sea water and out comes tasty drinking water.
During two days the little island was explored by rental car. Although it is only 20 km long and 20 km wide it takes several hours to drive around. The island lacks a coastal road, the roads wind over mountain ridges and through tunnels and with diversions to the coastal villages. The average speed is only 40 km/hour on the winding and steep roads. Luckily the busses give the horn in the curves. Not funny to meet a bus in a hairpin curve.
La Gomera is millions of years older than its neighbors Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Deep valleys cut through the countryside. The nature is more dramatic and wild compared to Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The houses cling on the steep sides of the valleys and all land with less heeling than 45 degrees is terraced and has earlier been cultivated. Today mostly bananas and papayas are cultivated.
The middle of the island has a large nature reserve with very dense pine forest with an old type of pine tree which only exists here. Much rain and mist makes the trees covered with lava and moss, and the ground is covered by fern. It looks like you are in a rain forest. There are many trekking tracks and we chose to go up to the highest point of the island 1,487 m. On the top there is an ancient ring of stones where the original inhabitants made their sacrifices to God. Our sacrifice was mostly sweat and tears.
We drove into a closed dirt road winding along a steep cliffside falling into the sea. Signs were warning for falling stones. After several kilometers and a steep walk we arrived at the promontory Puntallana and a small chapel. A statue is kept here of the patron of La Gomera, the Virgin of Guadeloupe. Same name as an island in the Caribbean. According to the legend a ship passed by in the 15th century. The crew saw lights in a cave above the peninsula and went ashore and found a statue in the cave. They brought it back to the ship. The ship got no wind and could not leave the place as long as the statue was onboard. The crew returned the statue to the cave and the ship got wind and sailed away. The incident was reported to the authorities, who decided to appoint the virgin the patron of La Gomera. Every October the statue is brought to San Sebastian in procession and then around to all churches of the island.
In 1492 Columbus landed on La Gomera, visited the church for prayers, took onboard supplies, filled the water barrels and left La Gomera and at that times the well known world on his way to the unknown.
Inga kommentarer:
Skicka en kommentar