TOUCHDOWN AT TEIDE

THE STARK, RUGGED LANDSCAPE OF THE TEIDE NATIONAL PARK IN SPAIN'S CANARY ISLANDS IS A BIT LIKE MARS

- KIRAN MEHTA

TEIDE LOOKS LIKE MARS BUT SMELLS much better,” says my Spanish friend Rocio as I mention my upcoming trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site, a sprawling national park in Tenerife, Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of northwestern Africa. Rocio waits for the confused look to cross my face, then explains with a grin: The atmosphere on Mars contains stinky sulphur. So if humans could breathe on Mars (which we can’t since there is barely any oxygen in the atmosphere), it would reek of rotten eggs or a sewer that’s been backed up for days. The vague olfactory description doesn’t prepare me for the sight that awaits.

I’m driven from Tenerife (the most populous of the Canary Islands) to Teide National Park by my local guide, Ancor. As the car ascends, I spot the skyline of rust-coloured, jagged boulders of various sizes and shapes, emerging from desert-like landscapes and reaching for the sky. I watch as the sun rises behind the boulders, almost setting them ablaze. The site reminds me of pictures I’ve seen on NASA websites of the fiery planet of Mars. We stop on the side of the road to take in the surreal view, and right on cue, a vehicle packed with kids parks beside us.

“Hola,” say the kids who jump out of the van, dressed in Star Wars costumes. There’s Yoda, green and serene; Darth Vader in his formidable face mask, while Luke Skywalker brandishes his lightsaber. They fit right into the set.