As Agatha Christie brought murderers to book in Puerto de la Cruz, Alexander Von Humboldt cut a lonely figure surveying the La Orotava valley from his concrete mirador a mere 5 kms up above the city. Back in the post Covid world, the Fenix was raising job hopes in Santa Ursula. With Santas already abseiling up and down musical ropes, it was time to recharge my Titsa unlimited travel residents ticket for another month.

Events were outlined on the Puerto de la Cruz street posters for the 8th Agatha Christie festival from 5 to 14 November, all based on a short stpry penned by the prolific crime queen back in 1927 on a visit to the north Tenerife city. It´s grown over the years to include readings, plays, and music, and has helped to raise the city profile far beyond Tenerife. Always keen to turn the page to new activities, Puerto de la Cruz had just become the first Tenerife municipality to confirm their 2022 Carnava, fom 17 Feb to 13 March.. Santa Cruz is the biggie and is preparing for their own parties but are still a little shy of confirming dates as Covid restrictions change.

Von Humboldt invented geo botany after sailing in to Tenerife back in 1799 with his journals and telescope, and marvelling at all the plant and insect life that abounds here. This was my third visit to his lofty free viewpoint, and it seemed like the great German explorer was edging nearer to the sheer drop edge of the balcony as he waited for people to pop in to see him. The only other visitors were a German couple who said they didn´t know about our Alex, I suspect they had eased their hire car into the tight layby in hope of finding toilets, but all facillities have been closed since re-opening after a previous spruce up. Maybe an online visitors book address by his biography plaque might encourage some feedback.

I shall keep taking this high road on the TF-21 as it leads onto Santa Ursula, La Victoria, and La Matanza, three of the smaller but most interesting municipalities on the island. Santa Ursula had declared November, Fushion En Verde month with revamped premises, offers and an overall push to help local businesses as part of the Proyecto Fenix campaign, and the response looked encouraging. The neighbours were looking decidedly quieter. It´s a tough situation, these areas have to fight for their share of rural tourism trade. All credit to those who take chances and try new ideas, maybe the influx of tourists from newly accessed destinations will filter through to boost others as well in the north.