Arrrecife, Canary Islands

Quel Hangover!
I barely stammer out of bed. The first day of not going to the gym the entire trip.

Our excursion doesn't leave until 2pm so mom and I head to the island for a bit of shopping. Realizing it is Sunday, the town is deserted. We hail a cab for a shopping district recommended by someone on the ship. Ends up they send us to a mall!

Mother buys some cute shoes at Zara and then we head straight back to the boat for lunch.

The afternoon proves much more fruitful. The excursion is into the volcanic national park. The island was covered by lava only 200 years ago and the lunar looking landscape is amazing. Pictures don't really do it justice. We first took a quick Dromedary jaunt through the park, which was good fun then we took a coach tour through the mountains and valleys of craters and lava streams. We stopped at a fantastically designed restaurant that cooked all their food over a volcanic pit! We then toured a vineyard which grows its grapes in volcanic pits. The wine was a bit too sweet for my taste but seeing acres of vines in black pits was a surreal experience. Or maybe it was just my hangover?

Back on board Russ, Dave and I have champagne in the jacuzzi as we pull out of port and then mom and I had a quick dinner. I was in bed by 10:30!