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Space travelling from El Teide

Visiting Tenerife's volcano at the Canary Islands

Aug. 21, 2018
On Tenerife you'll find Teide, the world's second highest volcano with extra terestial views and a perfect altitude for stargazing.

This summer holiday brought me to Tenerife, part of the Canary Islands, Spain. It's a popular destination because of the climate, but it's also the home of Teide, the world's second highest volcano (7500 m, measured from the sea floor). The incredible views reach way beyond earth, into outer space, the Milky Way and other distant galaxies.

Climbing Mount Etna

Visiting an active volcano on Sicily, Italy

Sep. 2, 2017
Climbing Mount Etna, an active volcano on Sicily Italy.

Last week me and my wife went to Sicily for a little summer holiday. It is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is an autonomous region of Italy, along with surrounding minor islands. It's home to Europe's largest active volcano: Mount Etna. We had a chance to visit this lava spurring monstrosity and it was quite the experience.

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The Los Gigantes are really unbelievable in their dimensions, you'll feel like a tiny human on the twisty roads.
The Los Gigantes are really unbelievable in their dimensions, you'll feel like a tiny human on the twisty roads.
Some rocks are unbelievable in size and shape
Some rocks are unbelievable in size and shape
Under the clouds the landscape is green, full of life
Under the clouds the landscape is green, full of life
El Palmar in the valley between Monte del Agua and the Teno mountains
El Palmar in the valley between Monte del Agua and the Teno mountains
Teide Observatory with telescopes from different countries at 2390 meters altitude
Teide Observatory with telescopes from different countries at 2390 meters altitude
Shadow of a Martian... of sorts :-)
Shadow of a Martian... of sorts :-)
Rough terrain
Rough terrain
The white/yellow on the Etna summit is sulphite - not gold... according to our guide
The white/yellow on the Etna summit is sulphite - not gold... according to our guide
One can only image the forces of nature judging by these craters.
One can only image the forces of nature judging by these craters.
The brown color is oxidation iron, or simply
The brown color is oxidation iron, or simply "rust"
The higher you get the rougher the terrain becomes
The higher you get the rougher the terrain becomes
Etna is big enough to see it from space (NASA Earth Observatory)
Etna is big enough to see it from space (NASA Earth Observatory)
Mount Etna
Mount Etna
Radar image from NASA showing the Teide volcano on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain (Wikimedia Commons)
Radar image from NASA showing the Teide volcano on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain (Wikimedia Commons)
Driving above the clouds
Driving above the clouds
The view is spectacular.
The view is spectacular.
Fresh lava, just a few months old, clearly recognisable
Fresh lava, just a few months old, clearly recognisable
On top of the Los Gigantes massive, with the La Gomera island on the horizon
On top of the Los Gigantes massive, with the La Gomera island on the horizon

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