Lifeguard Hut

When Atlantic lava cooled and shattered into black sand thousands of years ago, it created one of Tenerife’s most wind-whipped beaches. Playa de La Tejita now sits as a protected nature reserve where trade winds blow so relentlessly that the beach hosted the 2015 World Windsurfing Championships. Against this volcanic backdrop and perpetual gale, a solitary lifeguard hut stands watch, a splash of color on dark sand, keeping vigil over swimmers brave enough to face the currents.

Montaña Roja looms just behind it, red rock over black sand, in case anyone worried Tenerife’s color palette might get too subtle. The wind doesn’t care about the view. It just keeps blowing, the way it always has.