Uploads from Gregor Samsa, tagged volcano, with geodata

First light at the top of Mt. Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:41:18 -0700

Teide National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional del Teide) is a national park located in Tenerife Canary Islands, Spain. It is centered around 3718 m Mount Teide, the highest mountain of Spain and the islands of the Atlantic (it is the third largest volcano in the world from its base). It was declared a national park on 22 January 1954, making it one of the oldest national parks in Spain. It is also the largest national park in Spain and an important part of the Canary Islands. Another volcano located in the park (next to the Teide) is the Pico Viejo. It is the second largest volcano in the Canary Islands with its 3,135 m peak.

The park has an area of 18,990 hectares and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on June 29, 2007. Since the end of 2007, it has also been one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. Midway up the mountain are the telescopes of the Observatorio del Teide. Territorially, it belongs to the municipality of La Orotava.

Teide is the most visited national park in Spain, with a total of 2.8 million visitors, according to the Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC). The Teide in 2010 became the most visited national park in Europe. The Teide is the most famous natural icon not only of Tenerife but also of all the Canary Islands.

(Wikipedia)

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Tenerife features variety of completely different landscapes; the centrally located Teide national park comprised of lava landscape and active volcano Mt. Teide is truly unique, and definitely does not match the stereotype of tourist-booming Canaries full of seaside resorts and sunbathing and sunburned tourists.

We went close to the top of Mount Teide using a cable car in the afternoon, spent a night at Refugio Altavista, and climbed the peak before sunrise to witness birth of a new day from this Spanish highest mountain; really a spectacular experience.

Sunrise shadow of Mt. Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:40:13 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Volcanic landscape of Teide national park

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:42:37 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

First light at the top of Mt. Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:39:04 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

First light at the top of Mt. Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:01:08 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

A morning view from Mt. Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:03:05 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Volcanic landscape of Teide national park

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:34:58 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Crater of Mt. Teide at sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:27:01 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

That first moment

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 15:18:59 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Volcanic landscape of Teide national park

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:28:32 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Before sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:50:03 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

View from Mount Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:31:43 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Lava landscape of Teide national park

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:30:04 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

At Laguna Colorada

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:47:32 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon) is a shallow salt lake in the southwest of the altiplano of Bolivia, within Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and close to the border with Chile.

The lake contains borax islands, whose white color contrasts with the reddish color of its waters, which is caused by red sediments and pigmentation of some algae.

Laguna Colorada is one of the Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention signed in 1971.

James's Flamingos abound in the area. Also it is possible to find Andean and Chilean flamingos, but in a minor quantity.

(Wikipedia)

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We took the backward route from Tupiza northwards to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa and further to Salar de Uyuni salt plain; snow-covered volcanoes at the horizon line, red-coloured rocks and sand, colorful lagunas, and slow 4WD journey through the land of thin air - that's Bolivia southern part of Altiplano.

Laguna Colorada is most likely the most stunning of the colorful lakes; we spent there a night and thus got a chance for slow silent walks around admiring its unforgettable stunning beauty...

Lagunas of Eduardo Avaroa V

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 22:49:13 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

To the south of the Salar de Uyuni, the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa shelters an enormous diversity of plant life, geysers, geothermic wells, and extraordinary, colored lakes.

Researchers have recorded 102 plant species, and it is estimated that there are approximately 200 species of higher plants. The ecology of the zone is characterized by extensive, frozen deserts and the semi-desert grasslands of the high Andes. Glaciers feed a number of salt-water lakes, bogs and swamps.

There are 96 registered animal species in the reserve, including such species as the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), the Andean cat or titi (Felis jacobita), the Darwin’s Rhea (Pterocnemia pennata), the horned coot (Fulica cornuta), the chocka (Fulica gigantea) and three species of flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus, Phoenicoparrus jamesi and Phoenicopterus chilensis), which nest in enormous colonies.

In addition, there are species of small birds, such as the Upucerthia validirostris, Phegornis mitchelli and other migratory species that arrive from the northern hemisphere.

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We took the backward route from Tupiza northwards to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa and further to Salar de Uyuni salt plain; snow-covered volcanoes at the horizon line, red-coloured rocks and sand, colourful lagunas full of flamingos, and slow 4WD journey through the land of thin air - that's Bolivia southern part of Altiplano...

Lava landscape of Teide national park

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 23:10:36 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Plains and peaks of Tenerife

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:40:15 -0800

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands; it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² (785.47 mi²) and 898,680 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the most of any Canary Islands. Tenerife hosts one of the world's largest carnivals and the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife is attempting to become a World Heritage Site. Tenerife is serviced by two airports, Tenerife North Airport and Tenerife South Airport, and is the tourism and economic centre of the archipelago.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital of the island and the seat of the island council (cabildo insular). The city is capital of the autonomous community of Canary Islands (shared with Las Palmas), sharing governmental institutions such as Presidency and ministries. Between the 1833 territorial division of Spain and 1927 Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands, until in 1927 a decree ordered that the capital of the Canary Islands be shared, as it remains as at present.

Tenerife also has the highest elevation of Spain, a World Heritage Site that is the third largest volcano in the world from its base, El Teide. The island's capital contains the architectural symbol of the Canary Islands, the modern Auditorio de Tenerife.

Tenerife is a rugged and volcanic island sculpted by successive eruptions throughout its history. There are four historically recorded volcanic eruptions, none of which has led to casualties. The first occurred in 1704, when the Arafo, Fasnia and Siete Fuentes volcanoes erupted simultaneously. Two years later, in 1706, the greatest eruption occurred at Trevejo. This volcano produced great quantities of lava which buried the city and port of Garachico. The last eruption of the 18th century happened in 1798 at Cañadas de Teide, in Chahorra. Finally, and most recently, in 1909 that formed the Chinyero cinder cone, in the municipality of Santiago del Teide, erupted.

(Wikipedia)

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Were returning from the Anaga mountain range in the eastern part of the island and on the way we got a chance to enjoy this splendid view with Mt. Teide peak in the afternoon sun - January may be a pleasant time for visit of this beautiful island.

View of Teide

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 00:26:12 -0800

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Mount Teide (Spanish: Pico del Teide) is a volcano on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Its 3,718-metre (12,198 ft) summit is the highest point in Spain and the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic. At 7,500 m (24,600 ft) from its base on the ocean floor, it is the third highest volcano in the world, after Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Its elevation makes Tenerife the tenth highest island in the world.

It remains active: its most recent eruption occurred in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the northwestern Santiago rift. The United Nations Committee for Disaster Mitigation designated Teide a Decade Volcano because of its history of destructive eruptions and its proximity to several large towns, of which the closest are Garachico, Icod de los Vinos and Puerto de la Cruz. Teide, Pico Viejo and Montaña Blanca form the Central Volcanic Complex of Tenerife.

The volcano and its surroundings comprise Teide National Park, which has an area of 18,900 hectares (73 sq mi) and was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on June 29, 2007. It is one of the most visited National Parks in the world, with a total of 2.8 million visitors, according to the Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC).

(Wikipedia)

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Only during our return flight back to Europe we got a chance to observe Mount Teide from above - truly a monumental peak and we felt really proud climbing it a few days ago :-).

Peaks of Ararat from Khor Virap

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:08:25 -0800

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

The Khor Virap (Armenian: Խոր Վիրապ, meaning deep pit or "deep well") is an Armenian Apostolic Church monastery located in the Ararat plain in Armenia, near the border with Turkey, about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) south of Artashat, Ararat Province. The monastery was host to a theological seminary and was the residence of Armenian Catholicos.

Khor Virap's notability as a monastery and pilgrimage site is attributed to the fact that Grigor Lusavorich, who later became Saint Gregory the Illuminator, was initially imprisoned here for 13 years by King Tiridates III of Armenia. Saint Gregory subsequently became the king's religious mentor, and they led the proselytizing activity in the country. In the year 301, Armenia was the first country in the world to be declared a Christian nation. A chapel was initially built in 642 AD at the site of Kirat Virap by Nerses III the Builder as a mark of veneration to Saint Gregory. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly rebuilt. In 1662, the larger chapel known as the "St. Astvatsatsin" (Holy Mother of God) was built around the ruins of the old chapel, the monastery, the refectory and the cells of the monks. Now, regular Church services are held in this church. It is probably the most visited pilgrimage site in Armenia.

(Wikipedia)

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Our plane landed in Yerevan before 4AM giving us a lovely opportunity for a night ride to Khor Virap monastery with the aim to witness sunrise at this beautiful place - indeed, it was truly spectacular to see the first sunbeams on the top of Mount Ararat peaks...

Sol de Mañana

nobody@flickr.com (Gregor Samsa) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 22:06:10 -0700

Gregor Samsa posted a photo:

Sol de Mañana is a geothermal field in Sur Lípez Province in the Potosi Department of south-western Bolivia. It extends over 10 km², between 4800m and 5000m height.

This area is characterized by intense volcanic activity and the sulphur springs field, not geysers as sometimes it can be read, is full of mud lakes and steam pools with boiling mud. Industrial logging has been attempted in the end of the 80s, but is uneconomic. There are still several holes, the best known emits pressurized steam, visible in the morning up to 50 meters high. This is not a geyser, but a well in the artificial geothermal field. The major mud lakes are located at 4850 m.

(Wikipedia)

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We took the backward route from Tupiza northwards to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa and further to Salar de Uyuni salt plain; snow-covered volcanoes at the horizon line, red-coloured rocks and sand, colourful lagunas full of flamingos, and slow 4WD journey through the land of thin air - that's Bolivia southern part of Altiplano.

Here the view shows geothermal area of Sol de Mañana - a popular stop for 4WD travelers through the area of Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.