La Gomera is characterized by its central massif of a height of 1487 meters, dropping steeply to the sea. The region of Alto de Garajonay was declared a National Park. Particularly interesting are the population's very old and original popular customs. The inhabitants of the different valleys use to communicate with each other in a whistling language, comparable to the "yodling" in Central European Alps. The capital is San Sebastian, where Christopher Columbus made halt on his travel to America. He received help of Doņa Maria de Bobadilla, the widow of Grafen Peraza, to repair one of his ships, La Pinta.