Location: Motril, Spain
Hey, hey, blog readers!
Dani here, reporting a great day from the Vela squad. I woke up everyone today (accidentally 15 minutes early, but they don’t need to know that) at the bright and early hour of 6:15. I played The Beatles for a calm and positive wakeup! Some crew were up and dressed as some others fell back asleep a few more times. At 6:45, I herded the crew upstairs for a fancy breakfast of cereal and milk. I knew it was going to be a great day when Frosted Flakes was on the menu. Although the crew was unsettled by the sight of the stars in the morning, we were quick to eat and get ready for an exciting day onshore.
After gathering our things, we took a short walk to the bus station as the sun lit up the sky with purples and pinks. We were bussed 45 minutes through the mountains, mostly sleeping, jamming out to music, and appreciating the beautiful views outside. We then arrived at Alhambra Castle, where we obtained our tickets and were let free to roam the beautiful castle and gardens surrounding. We took our time absorbing the incredible architecture, color techniques, and unique style of the palace. It was truly a beautiful and breathtaking location that we all enjoyed touring. Many people split off to get coffee, snacks, or souvenirs before meeting the rest of the crew back at the bus stop at noon.
We then took a bus into the city of Granada. Dropped at the city center, we had a few hours to explore the city, shop, get food, and everything in between. Some crew members (who shall not be named in protection from angry parents) got their ears pierced. Some crew went shopping, and some even spent up to 160 Euros (sorry again, parents). Most of the crew spent at least a little time at restaurants, coffee shops, or gelato cafes. It’s always fun hanging out on shore with my boat family and exploring a new place. Our day in Granada was sunny, and the city was buzzing with activity. We were all bummed when we had to meet at the bus stop at 4 pm to catch our ride back home. We spent the bus ride back sharing stories of the day and giving clothing hauls to one another.
We had a great dinner of chicken wings and baked veggies. It was hilarious watching everyone get so messy while eating and watching some of the boys go back for their 10th or 15th chicken wing. I gave the squeeze question of “What is your favorite form of potato?” before a greasy cleanup. Im sure tonight the crew will be spending lots of time on their 4-page Oceanography research papers due tomorrow. Please wish us all good luck.
All families: I love all of your kids so much!!!!
Everyone: Thanks for reading!!!
Miss you, mom and dad!!
Picture 1: friends selfie
picture 2: Me, Sam, and Grace strolling through the gardens
picture 3: henry and I exploring the palace
picture 4: Emi/Emerson and Sammy/Sam pointing at different things
picture 5: Lariccia/Jack and Henry devouring chicken