Canary Islands: Lanzarote

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9285] 'Driving on lava.' The only road of the Timanfaya national park is crossing a huge lava flow. The gorge to the left is a collapsed lava tunnel. The last time the volcanoes in the national park area erupted was in the 18th and 19th century. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9293] 'Rope lava.' Pahoehoe lava, looking like ropes and named after the same kind of structures on Hawai. It is caused by streams of rather vicious lava flowing down the slopes. The Timanfaya national park is a dream for volcano lovers. Scientists observe how pioneer vegetation - like here the first lichens - conquer the lava after the last eruption in the 19th century. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9302] 'Driving on lava.' Early morning atmosphere on the Timanfaya national park road crossing a huge lava field. The volcanoes in the park area erupted for the last time in the 19th century and vegetation has not yet returned. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9316] 'Main volcano chain.' The main chain of volcanoes in the Timanfaya national park lie on a straight line, seen here in the distance. The furthest volcano is El Mirador and the one at left is Montaña de Timanfaya, Lanzarote's highest. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9323] 'Volcanic landscape.' Timanfaya national park: the beautiful colours of a young and untouched volcanic landscape. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9336] 'Route of the Volcanoes 2.' Landrover on the Route of the Volcanoes in a landscape of devilish beauty. Timanfaya national park. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9345] 'Heading home.' Heading home to the village of Yaiza in the distance after a day of dromedary's tours for the tourists in national park Timanfaya. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9355] 'Lanzarote vineyard 2.' Vineyard Lanzarote-style at La Geria. The soil consists of porous lava stones, that absorb moist out of the night air. The walls surrounding the man-made craters block the trade winds. The plants are hardly visible, because they are cut back since it is early spring. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9369] 'Scarecrow on steroids.' A scarecrow with pumped up muscles has been set up to guard crops on typical Lanzarote soil: picón, small porous lava stones that absorb moist from the air at night. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9372] 'Vineyard 1.' Vineyard in spring. Walls block the trade winds and small, porous lava stones called picón absorb moist from the air at night. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9377] 'Playa Teneza.' The seaside village Playa Teneza is untouched by touristical exploitation. But no fishermen live here anymore, the inhabitants are weekenders. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9385] 'La Caleta 2.' Fishing boats at the fishing village La Caleta. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9390] 'Clean drinking-water 1.' The 48 windmills of the Parque Éolico of Los Valles supply electricity for the desalinization plant. It is a clean way to produce drinking-water. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9288] 'Hard rock like soft clay.' The ranger of Timanfaya national park shows forms that seem to be nade of soft, wet clay. This is hard rock, however: solidified lava in a collapsed lava tunnel. The volcanoes in the national park area were active as recent as the 19th century. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9299] 'Baby volcano.' A baby volcano among bigger brother in national park Timanfaya. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9308] 'Main volcano chain.' Looking east from near the summit of the El Mirador volcano. The main chain of volcanoes in the Timanfaya national park lie on a straight line, passing through El Mirador to Montaña de Timanfaya, the dark summit in the distance, Lanzarote's highest. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9321] 'Volcanic bomb.' Lava stone of a beautiful terracotta color, found in Timanfaya national park. It is a volcanic bomb, thrown into the air during the eruptions of the 18th and 19th century. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9330] 'Route of the Volcanoes 1.' Landrover on the Route of the Volcanoes in a landscape of devilish beauty. Timanfaya national park. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9342] 'Route of the Volcanoes 3.' Landrover on the Route of the Volcanoes in a landscape of devilish beauty. Timanfaya national park. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9351] 'Lanzarote vineyard 1.' Vineyard Lanzarote-style at La Geria. The soil consists of porous lava stones, that absorb moist out of the night air. The walls surrounding the man-made craters block the trade winds. The plants are hardly visible, because they are cut back since it is early spring. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9359] 'Lanzarote vineyard 3.' Vineyard Lanzarote-style at La Geria. The soil consists of porous lava stones, that absorb moist out of the night air. The walls surrounding the man-made craters block the trade winds. The plants are hardly visible, because they are cut back since it is early spring. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9371] 'Flowering after rain.' Lanzarote is as dry as the desert. But in spring, after rare cases of rainfall, it can bloom. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9373] 'Vineyard 2.' Vineyard in spring. Walls block the trade winds and small, porous lava stones called picón absorb moist from the air at night. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9381] 'La Caleta 1.' Fishing boats at the fishing village La Caleta. Photo Paul Smit.

[SPAIN.CAN.LANZAROTE 9388] 'Lanzarote's best surf.' Among surfers the waves of fishing village La Caleta are favorite. Photo Paul Smit.