The Canary Islands!:)

I’ve been at a loss on how to begin this post because I am still trying to wake myself up from what feels like a dream…to be able to say that I went to the Canary Islands! I could say the same for nearly every trip I have been on thus far, but when I made it a goal of mine to visit at least one of Spain’s many islands, being able to visit the Canaries (which are located off of the southern coast of Morocco and really have no business being considered a part of Spain) was not something that even a dreamer like myself could have imagined.;)

Seeing as the Canaries are the southern-most point in all of Europe (I mean, it’s Africa really), the islands are a popular European-tourist destination offering plenty of sunshine, beaches, and exotic terrain for travelers near and far.  Our travel plans brought us to Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands and the most well-known. A group of ten of us landed an all-inclusive deal at a resort called Granada Park in Tenerife South where the desert-climate and pleasant beaches attract the majority of European tourists and about ninety-five percent of the people there spoke English (not so exotic-sounding anymore, right?). Well on a more exotic note, Tenerife felt much more like Mexico or Puerto Rico than anything I’ve seen in Spain, with plenty of brightly painted buildings scattered throughout the town in between a plethora of palm trees and tropical vegetation…not to mention a gorgeous coastlineJ

 

Towards the Northern part of Tenerife is where you will find a more lush landscape, the infamous Teide volcano (the highest point in Spain), and local islanders and Spaniards trying to steer clear of the tourist population. As appealing as this sounds, I was far too comfortable in my lounge chair by the pool…basking in the sun and all of the glory that comes with an all-inclusive resort to have the time or desire to venture off to any other parts of the island that may have been more ‘exotic’ than my poolside view.

SO basically…

The weekend consisted in endless amounts of food, beverages, and a whole lot of doing nothing. So in sum, it was pretty fantastic.  It felt like a true vacation (i.e. no running around like a tourist with our heads cut off) and I will again refer back to my million-dollar quote that “Every Great Day Begins With Mimosas”…and this weekend getaway was no different. Mimosas to start off each day and bottomless beverages to follow. Life is tough.;) Our night scene experience in Tenerife was something similar to what others in our group were comparing to a Myrtle Beach/Jersey Shore type of setting…in my own words: forget class, insert trash, and there you have a summed up version of the people and clubs we encountered. Lovely.;) I will say that one bar had us particularly entertained with a karaoke machine and a pirate-themed British Bachelorette Bash. Need I say more?

Tenerife was an unreal experience…much of which I attribute to the fact that I still cannot believe that I can now say I vacationed in the Canary Islands! I would love to make it back someday, but what’s new.;) I feel incredibly blessed to be able to have had this experience of a lifetime and so many beyond-amazing opportunities to travel. The best part? It’s not over!;) Less than two weeks and counting until Scottie arrives for a trip of a lifetime and a whirlwind tour of Madrid, Segovia, Milan, Cinque Terre, Siena, and the island of Sardinia. J I am QUITE excited, to say the very least!! Until next time!~ Ciao y Hasta Luego! xoxo