Hiking boots on - chcek! Map - check! Target locked: Virgen de las Nieves. The ancient church outside, above Santa Cruz is the place to not go on Sundays. Sundays, the palmeros visit their patron, the holy Maria that saved the city during a volcano eruption in an effort of letting it snow. Every five years the Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves is held, where the statue weighting 2 tons is carried to the city center.

Climbing out the baranco, Santa Cruz is located it, we passed the houses on top and climbed down on the other side again. The whole way there I had the smell of a big steak in my nose. Right beside the curch is one of the better parillas (grill restaurant) known for their good meat.

We had no luck. It looked like the whole city had come up here and was waiting in order to get table inside. As it was a scene from a movie, rain set in. We had no chance but climb down to Santa Cruz again and to be honest: steep cobble stone pavement in rain is not better to walk on than on loose chippings, hence, it took some time. Back in town siesta was in full swing and I was so hungry.

We had some noodles in the hotel… not quite the meal I had on my mind, but hey, you can’t always get what you want, right?

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