De La Gomera, Spain

La Gomera, the second-smallest of Spain’s main Canary Islands, welcomed us as our ship docked in the capital city, San Sebastián. The city itself is very small, and our main focus was exploring the island. About 90% of La Gomera lies underwater; only the mountainous 10% forms its land surface. There is no road circling the island—traveling from one coastal point to another requires crossing the mountains. The island’s population is roughly 22,000.

La Gomera has a unique cultural feature: Silbo Gomero, a whistled language that replaces Spanish words with whistles. Developed centuries ago to communicate across the rugged terrain, it is now taught in schools and recognized by UNESCO as a protected cultural heritage.

The drive through the island was nerve-wracking. Many roads are barely wide enough for one car, yet they handle two-way traffic. Along the way, we saw numerous terraces built to create flat surfaces for growing fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, most of these terraces are no longer maintained, as labor costs are too high.

We stopped for a few photo opportunities and visited the National Park’s information center. It featured a small but impressively curated museum and a botanical garden.

Overall, it was a great tour. Tomorrow begins our five-day crossing of the Atlantic Ocean.Read more