Tenerife | waltzing on water

Toboggan ride in Madeira

We just completed a 14-day cruise beginning in Southampton, England and ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship stopped in two European ports before sailing for 6 straight days en route to the Caribbean. Knowing a week at sea lay ahead, I tried to enjoy the first two days on land as much as possible!

View from the slopes

The last time I was in Maderia, Portugal, I joined a large group of crewmembers for steak on a stone. It was so delicious, many of us decided to go back. The owner of the restaurant recognized us and greeted us with hugs and kisses on the cheek when we arrived.

Lunch, consisting of sangria, garlic bread, steak, and french fries, was just as good as I remembered! I could’ve sat there for hours, but I had plans with a fellow dancer to ride a toboggan down a mountain. We left the restaurant and went searching for a cab. We were able to haggle with the driver, and get him down to a reasonable price for a ride up the mountain and from the bottom of the toboggan ride to the ship.

Driver #2

Our toboggan was guided down a steep, winding pavement road by two old men. Considering the weight of the basket and the speed at which we were moving, I was a bit nervous. They guided us safely down the road, even though a light rain was making it extra slippery. We slid past a few cars, which was both scary and exhilarating. The views on the way down were fantastic. The ride was short, but completely worth the price!

Slippery streets

In Tenerife, I joined my roommate and her boyfriend for a beach day. We took a city bus to the beach, and promptly claimed 3 beach chairs. A waiter from a bar on the beach delivered beers and fried chicken to us.

Beach in Tenerife

Black volcanic rock and green plants surrounded the beach. My friends said it seemed like a beach in “Jurassic Park”! Shortly after we arrived, clouds started rolling in. It started to rain, so we sought cover at the bar. We ended up sitting there for hours, chatting with the staff and local guests. It felt like we were there for days! I got a much-needed does of “normal” to prepare me for the upcoming days at sea!

Bartender at the beach

I had a fantastic time during the European season. Although I’ll miss the beautiful European ports, I’m excited for the adventures that lie in store in the Caribbean!

Ready for sea days!

Flowers at SIam Park in Tenerife

This voyage, we stopped in the Canary Islands for the first time. Our first stop was in Tenerife. I signed up for a crew tour going to Siam Park, a water park that some of my English friends had raved about.

Entrance of the Park

I’ve been to water parks before, but this one was unlike any other. Near the entrance, there was a tank of sea lions swimming about. The entire park was beautifully landscaped, with lush trees, and large, colorful flowers. The beauty of the park was intensified by the perfect weather. There was not a cloud in the sky!

Sea lion

The Beach by the Wave Pool

I spent most of the day with two skaters and a trumpet player. We started in the Mai Tai River, also known as the Lazy River, hoping to get a good view of the rides throughout the park. We were in two double tubes, and ended up racing through much of the river. At the end of the loop, we went up a ramp and ended up on a slide. The slide let us out in a tunnel beneath a tank of fish and small sharks. It was so cool!

Lazy River

Outside view of the tank. See the tube inside?

Next, we went to find the biggest slide in the park. It was about 3 stories tall, and also ended going through the shark tank. I’m a bit of a daredevil, but I still had butterflies in my stomach before I slid down.

The slide!

We made our way through almost all the rides in the park. Some of my favorites were 4 person tube rides. I laughed and screamed on every ride. We spent some time in the wave pool, with bigger waves than I’ve seen at Hurricane Harbor, and then took a break at a restaurant by the “beach”. The food was nothing special, but they had wine, beer, and cider available.

Waves starting

One of the best rides

Lounging

I wish I could’ve stayed for another hour, so I could have gone on the last ride and taken another turn on The Dragon. I hope to someday return and enjoy more time splashing around, having fun in the sun!

The Dragon

Two days later, we were in Gran Canaria. I joined my dance captain and her boyfriend again for lunch and lounging on the beach. Her boyfriend had been to Gran Canaria before, and suggested eating at the mall next to the port. There was an all you can eat Asian buffet and wok for just 12 euros. It seemed like half the crew was there! Once we had sufficiently stuffed our faces, we walked to the beach.

Beach in Gran Canaria

The walk took less than 10 minutes. We found a spot away from the crowd, and laid down for about an hour and a half. I briefly went in the water, but as it was quite cold, I only got wet up to my knees. Once we’d had our fill on the sun, we went to the boardwalk to get some sangria.

Art in the sand

We sat outside enjoying our drinks for about half an hour before walking back to the ship for rehearsal. It was a simple, but enjoyable day out. I look forward to returning to the Canaries before we cross over to the Caribbean.

Walking around

waltzing on water

Tag Archives: Tenerife

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