Travel photo of the day: Sunset on the Canary Islands Gary Arndt / everything-everywhere.com Coast of La Palma, Canary Islands By Gary Arndt, everything-everywhere.com I traveled to the Canary Islands directly from mainland Spain. The Canaries are Spanish territory and are a part of the European Union. But the difference between the mountains of the Pyrenees and the beaches of the Canaries couldn't be more drastic. It isn't just the difference between mountains and beaches -- it is the difference between Europe and Africa, with the Canaries lying 60 miles off the coast of Morocco. I took this photo just before an astrophotography session on the island of La Palma. We were set up on the far southern end on the island where we could be out of the wind, which was intense. La Palma is one of the seven islands that make up the Canary Islands. Volcanic activity formed La Palma, and you can see that in the island's geography. The island's mountains reach to almost 8,000 feet above sea level, allowing a view above the clouds. La Palma has become famous for the number of international observatories that have been built on the island, taking advantage of the clear view of the night sky. Tourists can submit applications to book tours on days the observatories are open to the public, and I greatly enjoyed my visit. Gary Arndt is a travel blogger who has been traveling the world since 2007. More from Everything-Everywhere: