The quality of tarmac

Last day. With clear skies we went back up to see the huge crater of Teide where we had first stood wide-eyed fifteen years ago. The natural landscape hasn't changed as far as we are concerned but the getting there, and the being there, have been smoothed out. The roads which were once rumbly and patchy (due no doubt to the extreme heat in summer) are now padded with a new style of tarmac, which is laid in a thick blanket several inches thick. It makes for a superb quiet ride but presents drivers with an alarming option all along - a drop for the outer wheels should you stray or be pushed off the top. This makes it impossible to pull off the road at random, and anyone wanting to stop must use the designated areas or lay-byes which are subsequently crowded and the immediate environs are despoiled, trodden, even have litter blowing about.  Paul told us, this new surface withstands the blistering heat of summer but fails in frost or rain. Win some, lose some.
We went north to Puerto de la Cruz for a late lunch - in a not very good place on the beach - a shame for our last meal out, but the black sand and the white breakers on the shining blue sea were gorgeous to behold. There is a Playa Jardin there, with stylish greenery in a park right behind the sea's edge - pleasant and cool. Had we ventured further along to the old port area we would have found few cafes but a sense of reality, instead of the pounding music, indifferent waiter service (wrong food brought), lack of love, which we had endured by the beach.
Back in the evening, to finish up the food we'd been accumulating in our s/c apartment - small amounts of toasted black bread, garlicky fried onions, some brought-home pulpo from the night before, gazpacho, avocado, some cheese, salad, fruit, a little feast as it happened. I had wanted to have our last meal at la Caleta but this store needed eating and it was all SO much nicer than the lunch. Tough mussels!!!!
Now here we are at la Caleta for our last coffee, overlooking the tiny rocky bay, with swimmers on the rocks. Our luggage is in the car, we'll be flying home in about 4 hours.