file: life-at-the-RdlM-brief-manual.txt = La Palma hints for DOT students last: Oct 30 2005 Las Tricias site: ~/rr/web/rjr-edu/manuals what to bring ------------- passport driving license euros (for your day off; credit cards widely accepted) clothes: from very hot & sunny to very cold & stormy sandals sweater summer: light rain shell, shorts, hot-weather stuff autumn: winter jacket, scarf, gloves, thick sweater, thick pants cap or sunhat sunscreen lotion, lip balm sunglasses flashlight alarm clock mobile phone? if so, specify your number to DOT crew for your day off: mountain hiking: daypack, sturdy boots with good profile swimming: swimsuit, sandals for the hot black sand camera (battery charger? USB cable? tripod for night sky?) binoculars (for bird watchers and green flash watchers) CDs for rental car sleeping -------- you probably get a large private bedroom in the Residencia Annexo bedlinen, towels, toilet paper provided probably: fridge with freezer compartment in hallway possibly: living room, kitchen, cutlery, utensils, washing machine we have a DOT water boiler on loan SST breakfast and lunch ----------------------- shop upon arrival: breakfast and lunch for two weeks additional bread and fruit may be brought up by Felix or a Rob do it yourself in the small but well-equipped SST kitchen ceramic hot plates, oven, microwave, water boiler, assorted coffee makers special DOT student coffee/tea/soup cups clean up immediately! many others share this crowded kitchen DOT people use only the fridge in the SST hallway but no kitchen cabinets tap water is reasonably fit to drink (also in SST and Residencia) Residencia dinner ----------------- menus at http://www.iac.es/orm/residen/index.html order daily before 11:00: paper form at desk, email, or phone (dial 9) dinner choose starter: sopa or salad choose main: meat = E, fish = F, vegetarian = V, or large salad water, juice, wine etc included: ask for the latter coffee (espresso machine) included driving ------- keep well off the center stripe in all curves beware of German head-on speeders not doing this take motion sickness pills if you suspect you need them (both the East and the West road to RdlM have over 350 curves) assume one-two hours driving time wherever you go use fourth gear only on the Santa Cruz - airport road directions ---------- airport - Residencia food shopping: first exit right after airport tunnel = Los Cancajos 3nd road down seaward: food shop near the end, stairs down at left back the same way as you came, then right to Santa Cruz fill up gasoline: station on left side before big rock before Santa Cruz pass Santa Cruz along the boulevard along the sea keep righthand lane near the end of the town (at replica Columbus' ship) after a few km with a tunnel and large barranco (canyon): sudden turnoff to the left, marked by sign Observatorio Astrofisico beware of cars from the other direction, hidden by the hump in the road curvy road up right at Nuestra Senora de Candelaria, marked Observatorio Astrofisico 350 more curves to the Residencia scenic stop at the camera sign: tremendous view across the Caldera keys to your rooms in box on the Residencia desk Residencia - SST building up along four helicopter pads (one for each queen or king visiting) left turn at white cubicle building, in "no entry" direction right ar roundabout, left at turnoff for the large Herschel telescope right to square SST tower, park halfway up, leave ample space for others hiking ------ http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/4695 and other La Palma mountains in the lefthand clicker list http://www.mma.es/parques/lared/caldera/visita/itiner.htm maps 1:30.000, Freytag & Berndt, ISBN 3-7079-0346-X the best available, footpaths too, but only 50m contours 1:50.000, Freytag & Berndt, ISBN 3-85084-259-2 excellent driving map older copy on loan in SST library best hiking guide: A. & W. Wolfsperger, Rother Verlag ISBN 3-7633-4246-X (German), 3-7633-4808-5 (English) excellent hike descriptions, good local maps per hike (= 1:30.000 F&B) recent copy (English) on loan in SST library maps and guide books for sale in upstairs shop in airport building advised full-day hike: Caldera inside = Los Brecitos - Barranco exit taxi bottom Barranco Asturias - Los Brecitos 20-25 Euro/person start at Los Brecitos before noon, end at car about 18:00 then to Puerto de Tazacorte for beach (with shower) and dinner traditional DOT hike (leave RdlM 14:00): El Tablado down to sea and back cheapest staying Los Cancajos, Apartments Lago Azul, +34 922 435128; buses from there