Trip to Gran Canaria

If you're looking for a post that's heavy on photos and light on text, this one is for you!   The girls recently had a week off from school for a winter break called "Sportlov".  Some Swedes take the name seriously and do something active....like skiing.  Our family opted to find a location with less, not more, snow and warmer temperatures where we could be predominantly in-active!

Our destination was Hotel Orquidea, a family friendly resort in lovely Gran Canaria, the second most populous island of the Canary Islands (I admit I had to check a map when we booked the trip...the Canary Islands are just off the west coast of Africa).  If nothing else, this move to Sweden is improving my knowledge of world geography.

An evening view...pretty peaceful without those crazy kids!

One of the benefits of this resort was the organized kid activities.  Each morning, the girls enjoyed two hours of "camp".   The camp leaders kept the kids busy with fun activities.  

The girls in their camp "uniforms"

While the girls were at their respective camps, I enjoyed two hours of laziness by the pool.   I realized that I can be a really fantastic "relaxer" if I put my mind to it!   The hubby couldn't sit still for too long, so he spent some time taking pictures and trying out the hotel gym.

On the girls day off from camp (I guess they needed a break from all that fun), we booked an excursion which was perfect for families who wanted a sampling of island activities.   The eager participants were picked up from the hotel in Jeeps and driven to our first activity.....camel rides!

This is going to be fun....right???

Before we got there, they girls were very excited about the idea of riding on a camel.  However, the process of getting the camels off the ground (back legs first) and starting the journey (CeCe got nose-to-nose with one of these one-humped beasts) proved a bit daunting.  However, once we got going, everyone enjoyed the ride.  They put the hubby and I on the camel right behind the girls (you probably figured that out from the photos).

Now everyone is  happy!

After the ride, the girls had a chance to feed some of the other camels.   

What big eyes you have!

And what big lips you have!

Next we got back into the Jeeps and headed for a scenic overlook where we could take some pictures.  I'm not a big fan of heights, but I have to admit these views were amazing.

Daddy and his girls

Next was a stop for lunch, but there was one more camel that needed a little snack first.

That's my girl (and yes, I had to bribe her to do this!)

After lunch, we took a trip into a (very) small town where we were able to wander around and take more pictures.   Like I said, this excursion had a bit of something for everyone and if you didn't like one part there was comfort in knowing it would soon be over.

Not a bad place to live!

Favorite pose from the trip...rock on!

The final phase of the excursion was taking the Jeeps "off roading" through the mountains.  Basically this involved riding on dusty, rocky roads that were (in my opinion) too close to the edge.  For all I know this could have been our driver's first day on the job....but I was too afraid to ask.   Of course, we purchased the video of this trip so I could appreciate all of the scenery from the comfort and safety of my own couch!

The oldest enjoying the view

Our fun filled field trip was followed by two more days of sun and relaxation.  It was a much needed break from the dreary Swedish winter.

Say "cheese"!

Now that we are back in Sweden, the hours of daylight are noticeable greater which gives me some hope that spring is not too far away.   For now, we will just have to savor the memories of the warm sun.