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Spain is an European country.
However, for its highest mountain we have to go outside the European continent.
Far from the coast of Africa to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
To the Canarian Islans.
Even from 100km distant top of La Palma island we can see majestic cone of 3th world highest volcano
when measured from its foot 4 kilometers under the sea level to the top in 3715 meters above the sea level.
Pico del Teide on the Tenerife island.
It may not be very difficult to reach the top.
There is a road upto the 2300 meters.
From there you can be in 8 minutes 180 meters below the peak by the cabin lift.
But for the final stage of the climbing one little thing may not miss - a permit.
Permit is free of charge
but you must have it pre-issued for your name and for a specific time.
There is only 50 permits for each 2hours interval.
We are over 3 and half kilometers above the sea level.
Our organism is not used to it after the night by the sea level.
So we should move slowly.
Sometimes we must breathe sulfuric fumes of dormant volcano instead of oxygen.
The path is steep but well maintained
so we can be in 20 minutes from the cableway on the top.
The summit. Strange feeling.
There is nobody so high hundreds kilometers away May be in Morocco on the top of High Atlas.
Still last volcano details recording
and then hurry down to check out in time at the checkpoint by the cableway.
The weather up here is still nice
while the Anaga mountains in the north of the island is wrapped in the trade wind clouds.
Because our way to the top was easy, now we will walk 1600 height meters
down to the Parador hotel.
The path cross lava fields over the sharp tuff
to the old volcano of Pico Viejo.
Sometimes the path can be hardly recognized and there is no problem to miss it.
It requires good shoes, good stability and good weather.
We are quite in the south, but also quite high so snow can lay here
and then we couldn't pass this way.
We are still over the 3000 meters high above the trade wind clouds by the coast.
It is still quite long way to the Parador hotel,
but Pico del Teide, the highest point of Spain rises high above us.