Hello again,
I just got back from spending five days in Gran Canaria! It was SO. MUCH. FUN. I aboslutely loved it, but, as my boss pointed out today, I love every place I go. I know - I just love traveling. Talk about being my mother's daughter.
Anyways, Gran Canaria (aka The Canary Islands) are islands off the coast of Africa, more or less, that are Spanish property. They are home to the highest point in Spain - a volcano. Therefore, the sand on the beaches at Gran Canaria is much more black than I have ever seen...because it is from the volcanic rock.
We had a long weekend this weekend and were off of school Thursday, Friday and Monday, so my friends and I claimed this as more of our "type" of spring break and enjoyed the beach for five days. We arrived on Wednesday night and didn't do much because our flight got in late. Our hotel was actually very nice. It was fully equipped with a little kitchen and had a nice pool too!
View of our pool at night from our balcony
On Thursday we all got up fairly early, went and bought food and drink supplies to get us through the day, and headed to the beach which was just a short 10 minute walk from the hotel.
We actually did use our kitchens while we were there. We enjoyed cooking, in general, and things that we enjoy, and at this point we'll do just about anything to save money - ha. We're all becoming broke now that the semester is coming to an end!
Our pasta meal one night
Breakfast burritos - potatoes with onions, bacon, cheese, eggs and salsa that tasted like BBQ sauce - WIN
One of our new favorite places brought our cute little drinks out with sparklers in them.
All of the girls
One of our new favorite places
The scenery around the island was gorgeous and it's amazing to me how there are so many places with huge mountains right next to gorgeous beaches and the ocean. I had never witnessed anything like this until this semester, and I love it.
There were all kind of nationalities in G.C., but I think we were by far the only Americans found on the entire island. People were amazed that we were from America and no one ever guessed that was where we were from. Some thought we were German and others thought we were English. It was pretty entertaining, and almost flattering, considering in Sevilla people know we're American when we breathe.
We didn't do much sight-seeing around G.C. It almost makes me feel unproductive in that we didn't do ANYTHING but lay around the beach and by the pool, eat good American-like food and hang out together at night. I think it comes from us doing so much traveling and sight-seeing with The Center that when we get a chance to get a way for a beach vacation...all we want to do is sit back and relax, and that we did - without a worry in the world...
Until about 20 minutes before our return flight to Sevilla, of course. We got to the airport a good two hours early or so because our flight was at 5:20, but the gate closed at 4:50 and we had to be out of our hotel by 1 p.m. After we arrived we tried to find the RyanAir help desk where we usually have to go, as non EU citizens, to show our passport and get our boarding passes stamped. We couldn't find the RyanAir counter and even asked some really important security guard/government looking men - they said we didn't need it. We sat around for a while at Starbucks (yes, at this point, we will pretty much jump on any American-like opportunity in food/drink consumption). Then we went and were about the second group in line for boarding.
Once they STARTED boarding the plane, we finally got confirmation that we DID need the stupid stamp on our boarding passes, but oh, even better, the RyanAir counter is now outside of security, down stairs and on the other side of the airport. Here begins our own version of "Vegas Vacation" when nine of us started SPRINTING through the Gran Canaria airport.
All of us had our one allotted carry-ons that we stuffed five days worth of clothes into. Personally, my backpack was LITERALLY about to bust at the seams. So...there we are sprinting through the airport...making it to the RyanAir counter, some of us sliding into it. One lady was working and had to stamp all of our boarding passes. I took my shoes off this time, and proceeded to sprint back up the stairs and through security over to the end of the plane boarding line.
We made it! But then we had the stress of whether or not they were going to tell us our bags were too big. Those of us with backpacks have never been hassled before because, typically, if you have a bag on your back they aren't going to bother you. Then...there was me with my almost-seam-ripping backpack who got stopped, after I was drenched in sweat and huffing and puffing from my sprint back-and-forth through the airport. THANKFULLY, there was a man with a suitcase larger than me that he was trying to carry on so the baggage check guy got distracted and was suddenly unconcerned with my almost-seam-ripping backpack. Whew, we officially made it on the plane and were all fanning ourselves with our, now, stamped boarding passes. Vegas Vacation meets Gran Canaria? If only someone could have been recording us...or if only someone had been recording our lives for the past three months. I think that could have served as prime entertainment, but it's a little late now.
Now we're back in Sevilla for a couple of weeks until Semana Santa hits. Then we're heading to Germany, Scotland and Ireland where we will definitely be doing some sight-seeing. Our relaxing vacation is over and we'll be back on our educational Eurotrip soon enough. :) Ha.
Only two more weekends left in Sevilla, one month exactly left in Sevilla as of today, only 12 more days of classes left and 40 days until I'm home in Texas! Let the bittersweet countdown begin.
All my love to Texas,
Paige
All my love to Texas,
Paige
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