One of our first Tenerife trips took us to the Enchanted Forest Trail in the Anaga Mountains. I would like to say that it was like something out of a fairy tale. That dewy ferns peeked out from under our feet. That the ghosts appearing out of the fog could have been tree branches, but also forest spirits.
I would like to write all this, but I can’t. My own body betrayed me, and I was so exhausted that day that I didn’t enjoy the trip at all. Unfortunately, reservations for this trail are always for a specific day (14 days in advance, online, otherwise you can’t get here), so it was now or never. And because I really enjoyed the Trail of the Senses last time in Anaga, I hoped that despite my fatigue, I would also be enchanted by the Enchanted Forest.
Only 45 people are allowed on this trail per day. This is to preserve its natural wealth. That’s why we only met two other couples there during the whole day. There’s something special about having a beautiful laurel forest almost to yourself.
That’s why I was sad that I wasn’t able to really pay attention. I focused mainly on putting one foot in front of the other, and I didn’t have the energy for much else, such as enjoying the surroundings.
Our journey began with an adventure. We stopped at the information center in Cruz del Carmen to see if they had a more detailed map of the trail than the one we printed from the internet. But before I returned from my little research trip, the battery in our car died. The thought of waiting several hours to find someone to help us start the car made me break out in a cold sweat. But we were incredibly lucky. Ben went to ask at the information center, and by chance, a nature park employee was sitting at one of the tables in the café. She gulped down the coffee she had just ordered and went to find a colleague who had a starter pack. So everything was sorted out within 20 minutes. Thanks to that, we were able to set off.
But once we were on the trail, everything around us seemed to me like a completely ordinary nature sight, which I had already seen in the last time here. I’m sure that I’m doing the Enchanted Forest an injustice here. First, I was really not in a state to appreciate it properly, and second, even a completely ordinary nature sight these mountains is breathtaking. So here are a few photos at least. Judge for yourself.
At the end of the trail, there was supposed to be a beautiful view of the surrounding area, a mirador. But as we approached it, we saw a cloud floating toward us between the trees. We could actually watch it slowly approaching and enveloping everything in its path. It surrounded us, and soon raindrops were falling on us. When we reached the famous viewpoint, all we could see was white. White and more white. Actually, it was quite funny. It reminded me of one of our previous trips to Bergamo, when we wanted to enjoy the views of the Alps and instead spent the whole weekend in fog. And yet we had a great time there.
Just before us, another couple arrived at the viewpoint. A young woman by the wooden fence was feeding birds from her hand and shared with me the crumbs for them. I really enjoyed this. Whenever I can feed a bird from my hand and its tiny claws lightly embrace my fingers, I feel as if I am touching something fragile and precious.
And then it was time to go back. Fog, laurels, ferns, rain. The trail wound its way through the trees and then spat us back onto the asphalt road. We walked to the car and set off for home.
WHen you are traveling, some things are simply not ideal. Maybe one day I’ll walk this path again and find the enchantment I sought in vain this time. And maybe I’ll come to terms with the fact that this experience was imperfect, as some experiences simply are. Just like life itself. The goal is not for everything to be perfect, even though I would like that. The goal is to find joy in everything we can. Not to force it at all costs, but to see it where it can be seen. For example, in the light body of a bird that lands on the tips your fingers.
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