What Ana Does

We spent five very nice days in Tenerife, and here's what I've got to say ... I am sick and tired of witnessing "the coldest/rainiest/snowiest winters on record" at each of the places we visit this year. The resort town in the south of Tenerife where we stayed had the coldest (low 50s) and rainiest week in a very, very long time. It hadn't rained here in about a year. And, yeah, for three days it rained and was chilly. Then we returned to Paris and there's a Siberian cold front coming through bringing some of the coldest weather Paris has ever experienced. And more snow. So, yeah, we seem to bring record-breaking weather wherever we go. The Views at the Resort Notice ... No One On the Beach But, on the bright side, we did get to see quiet a lot of the island and spend time together as a family. So the vacation wasn't a total waste. Not to mention I was finally able to introduce my little family to my extended family that lives on the islan...

Paris is awfully grey and wet in the winter. This is something that I guess is well-known, but to experience it is something different altogether. When the sun does peek out, it's something you mention to others. Such as, "Hey, did you see that sun yesterday?!" The girls are off from school for the next week (as does most of Paris) so we're off to Tenerife to see the sun. And some family. And a pool. And the ocean. And maybe tour up the volcano. A bientot! Related posts: My favorite places in Tenerife to visit

3. La Ortava A charming old town in the valley above Puerto de la Cruz. In my memory, it was green and lush, but in reality it's a small village populated by ancient buildings and nice locals. The Casa de los Balcones is a popular tourist spot to pick up local lace and your own little balcony. We walked up and down the hilly streets, and discovered two stunning public gardens and a nice coffee shop. We also watched fancy-dressed wedding guests entering an old church. The bride, I'm sorry to report, was very, very late. View Down a Twisty Street in La Ortava The Famous Tourist Trap - Casa de los Balcones  Jardin Victoria With Quite a View! 4. Hotel Mencey and Parque Garcia Sanabria In Santa Cruz, the small city we used as home base, we stretched our budget a little to stay at the historic Hotel Mencey. It was a comfortable, well-maintained hotel in a great location. I love a hotel will a lot of common spaces to relax in, and this one had a bunch, all with beaut...

Ok, here's what you need to know about Tenerife: It's one of the tropical islands that make up the Spanish-held Canary Islands, located just east of Morocco. They're basically unknown to most Americans but Europeans regard the Canary Islands similar to Hawaii. It's a European vacation destination. And yes, it's where my father was born and so was I. We moved to Minnesota, where my Mom is from, when my older sister was 5 and I was 3. That's your summary. And instead of getting into a travelogue of the journey, which was a lot of visiting with family and eating A LOT of ham, I'll list out my top 5 places to visit if you're lucky enough to get to this paradise island. 1. Teide  Teide is the ancient volcano that formed Tenerife and the Canary Islands. In all my trips, I've never visited, so I was please to get a day trip there with my Mom. The park is enormous, once we entered, it took about 40 minutes by car to ascend the park and get to Teide --...