A small rock in the Atlantic: Exhibition: The Canary Island's Mountains

From 20th June to 19th July, 2008
Casa Principal de Salazar, O'Daly 22, Santa Cruz de la Palma
Open Mon-Fri, 10 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm
Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

You know, I think "Mountains" is a mistake in translation, because the exhibition is about forests (and "monte" can mean either forest or mountain side.)

I don't care. It's a fun exhibition. My son enjoyed the hands-on bits, like turning a pump handle to see the water being pumped up. (Did you know an oak tree can pump anything up to 600 litres of water from roots to leaves on a summer day?) I enjoyed the photographs of microscopic pollen. And we were both astonished to find out how long worms live (16 years), and how much they eat.

So I recommend it. If I'd paid 5€ I'd have felt I got my money's worth, but actually, it's free.

Calle O'Daly is the cobbled main street running from near the port to the concrete ship. Casa Principal de Salazar is a rather lovely old building on your left (as you go from the port to the ship) with barley-sugar columns flanking the door.

Labels: canary island ecology, canary island forests, exhibition, La Palma, La Plama, Santa Cruz de la Palma