Lanzarote, Canary Islands - Day 2
Friday, February 9, 2024
This morning we woke up on the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Already at 8:00am, the weather was a perfect 70 degrees and sunny. We can hear ocean waves crashing onto the sand of Playa Honda from inside our rented airbnb across the street. This morning, we could also hear the sound of a power drill outside our bedroom window which was annoying, but focusing on the rest of the surroundings — it’s a gorgeous place.
The Canary Islands are an archipelago located off the coast of Morocco. They are Spanish-controlled islands, and one of the only places in Europe that are warm year-round, which makes the Canary Islands a popular destination for Europeans and other tourists. There are seven islands in all, but we chose to visit Lanzarote we’d heard that it isn’t quite as busy as Grand Canaria or Tenerife, and has a more nature-centered vibe.
Our day started off normally, then around 9:00am Andi complained of having a headache and feeling lightheaded. We figured he was hungry and decided to venture off along the Playa Honda boardwalk outside our rented airbnb to see if we could find a place for brunch. The walking path following the coastline was super quiet for a Friday morning. A few people were running and biking on the boardwalk, but all the restaurants were closed until 11:00am.
Andi was really struggling, so we popped into the only restaurant we found that was open — Wambo Hamburgers. We sat on the covered patio and the friendly server explained the menu. Andi and Aden each ordered natural fruit juices to drink, and Tory ordered a strawberry smoothie made with ice cream. The beverage selection reminded me of Ecuador where fruit juice and ice cream smoothies are a staple on the menu.
Andi ordered a chicken breast with salad and fries for his meal, and the kids each ordered burgers. I got a margarita pizza. The food was fine; nothing special. I’m pretty sure Wambo is Canary Islands’ version of a fast food chain.
My brain was in overdrive trying to remember how to communicate in Spanish. It’s been almost a year since I spoke the language verbally with anyone. (Mentally kicking myself for allowing my Spanish practice to lapse the past few months.) Fortunately, the restaurant staff could understand a little English and didn’t seem upset about our Spanish being terrible. Maybe they’re used to it living and working in a touristic location.
Andi still wasn’t feeling well after we ate, so he wanted to go back to our airbnb to lay down. Tory, Aden, and I decided to walk across the street to the beach to check it out. Within minutes, we returned back to the airbnb to put on our swimming suits. The sun was hot — too warm for clothes. The three of us returned to Playa Honda a few minutes later better dressed for the sun & sand.
It felt strange to be laying on the beach in the Canary Islands when we just in the Sahara Desert three days ago. My brain still hadn’t adjusted. The kids and I were a little twitchy laying there in the sand with nothing to do. There were only a couple other people on the beach with us. Right away, I saw that most of the women were topless. I wondered how long it’d take Tory and Aden to notice. After about 15 minutes, Tory passed me her phone. On the screen she wrote, “Mom, that lady over there isn’t wearing a swim top.” Ha! Welcome to Europe, I told her. Meanwhile, Aden was busy digging in the sand without paying much attention to his surroundings.
Aden swam in the ocean for a while while Tory and I laid on the beach. It was hot laying on the sand without any shade cover. After 90 minutes or so, the three of us walked back to our airbnb across the street to check on Andi. He was asleep in bed.
Tory and Aden weren’t happy about it, but it was time to do some school work. I’d like them to complete 3-4 math & language arts lessons per week while we’re traveling and since we were in the Sahara Desert on Monday and Tuesday this week, we needed to do some school. The kids and I sat at the kitchen bar and completed their assignments while they filled their bellies with a generous amount of gnocchi, fruit, cheese, and a fresh baguette. I think they’re making up for lost time after living on tagine for the past 10 days in Morocco!
Andi’s health deteriorated throughout the day. He now has a fever, body aches, and is vomiting. I feel so bad for him. We obviously weren’t going anywhere tonight, so I made the kids more noodles for dinner at our airbnb. They spent the evening talking to their friends on Facebook Messenger Kids, and I caught up on blogging.
Hoping Andi feels better tomorrow.
