Hoosier Cruiser

April 22, 2026

We made port this morning at Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands. Like the Cabo Verde Islands, Tenerife is volcanic in origin and still has an active volcano. However, the similarities end there. Tenerife is verdant and lush with tropical plants. Santa Cruz could easily sub in for a coastal city in Southern California (but I won’t vouch for the beaches). Modern highway system, large hotels and office buildings, colonial architecture and visually appealing public use structures.

From the port, we traveled to Puerto de la Cruz. This former fishing village is now a bustling tourism magnet. Our first view of the city came from the Alexander von Humboldt Mirador (lookout). The famous geographer and naturalist began his exploration of the Americas from Tenerife in 1799. Our next stop was the JAO Botanical Gardens. This is a beautiful walled garden laid out in blocks. The trees are the showstoppers, a gigantic ficus being a focal point in the garden’s center. We spent the last portion of our tour strolling the promenade along the city’s waterfront. If the many shops and cafes didn’t appeal, you could watch the waves crashing on the breakers or surfers trying not to crash.

Final note: Our guide mentioned that the buses in Tenerife are referred to by the slang term “gua gua,” pronounced “Wawa,” which is what my grandson Sully calls me.