LA GOMERA

The Hermigua valley is the most fertile in the whole of Gomera. Clouds from the top of the island bring in water all year long and provide ideal conditions for farming. The mild climate is also good for growing Canary Islands bananas - plátanos de canarias - which are smaller and sweeter, and nowadays there are enough of them for export too.

From the green and fertile valley, we climb up into a completely different world. It’s going to get considerably colder compared to the coast – the temperature will drop to a mere 13 to 15 degrees Celsius. Suddenly – there’s pervasive humidity, darkness, and more importantly – everlasting peace and quiet. Welcome to Garajonay National Park which was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986. There is a unique cedar cloud forest right in front of us, which has been preserved here from the Tertiary Period and which you will not find anywhere else in the world.

Valle Gran Rey – which means “valley of the great king” - is now the most prominent tourist spot on the island.In my opinion, it is the most beautiful place to live.

And when you live near the harbor, you don’t even have to go to the market. You can just go to the pier in the evening, pick a fish, the fisherman will prepare it according to your wishes, you throw it in a bag or just carry it in your hand, and off you go to cook it. The nicest thing about it is that it’s not a tourist attraction; you just blend into a queue with the locals.