La Albufuera/Gandía

On Friday, ISA took us on an excursion to La Albufuera. Here a little snippet from the official website: 

"The Albufera of Valencia, located about 15 kilometers south end of the city of Valencia, is the largest lake in the Iberian Peninsula. Around the Lake Albufera, a former marine gulf closed by a sandbar or spit and fed by fresh water from gullies, ditches and springs called ullals , lies one of the most interesting human landscapes, traditional Spanish Mediterranean, and one of the most ecologically valuable areas of the peninsula."

It was absolutely wonderful to start my day off with a tranquil boat ride around a lake. Anyone who knows me knows that I love to take my time in the mornings, and this peaceful trip was a wonderful reprieve from the noise and chaos of the city of Valencia. 

All too fast we were back on the bus headed for the city of Gandía, about an hour south of Valencia.  I came very close to throwing up on the bus from motion sickness despite the fact that I’d already taken a Dramamine.  Bus drivers in Spain are much more concerned about time that the comfort of their passengers.  I had already decided not to participate in the water sports offered that day (kayaking, surfing, wind surfing, and something else).  Instead, Ashley, Cassi, Caitlyn, and I found a city worker and each bought a beach chair to lounge on for the rest of the day (only 4 euros each)!  We got all lathered up with sunscreen and began the ritual of laying out, getting too hot, taking a dip in the water, and starting the cycle all over again.  

my view for the day

pink toes

city behind my beach spot

random Zumba class on the beach!

All in all it was a wonderful (but hot) day at the beach! I worked on my tan, swam a little bit, and chatted with good friends :)