Aja and I met the IES group at los Jardines del Triunfo at 8am. The bus arrived in Retamar (southeast from Granada) around 10:30am, which was our only chance to buy water and use the bathroom for the next several hours. Then the bus drove us 15 minutes more to the coast.
At 11:30am, we began our nine-mile hike along the coast of Cabo de Gata. The only things that we needed to bring with us were water, lunch, sunscreen, and a bathing suit; the rest was left on the bus. We split into three groups of difficulty, but we all traveled along the same route more or less, simply at different speeds. I chose the smaller, slower group because I wanted to take my time and enjoy the spectacular landscape.
It was incredible to see the desert to our left and the beautiful blue Mediterranean to our right. And the rock formations and volcanic remnants were super cool too. The terrain was challenging, but not impossible; there were many hills, rocks to traverse, and loose pebbles. But of course, a few daredevil students wandered off the paths to climb giant rock formations.
We passed through la Playa de Mónsul, las Calas del Barronal y la Playa de Genoveses. All of the beaches were gorgeous and, of course, nude. All three groups met up at one beach to eat our packed lunches and go for a swim. The water was so refreshing, and the only thing that we had to worry about was jellyfish! However, a few students got cut on the rocks in the water.
We finally arrived in San José around 7pm, exhausted but content. San José is a breath-taking coastal town with two main beaches. In May, most of the houses and restaurants are still vacant or closed-up for the season; thus, the beaches were very empty. However, the town is apparently filled with people in July and August.
We picked up our bags from the bus and then walked to our hostel, el Albergue San José. I'm pretty sure IES took over the small hostel. I shared a room with Clarissa, Bethine, and Kassie. Everyone immediately hit the showers because we were covered in dirt, sweat, and sand.
Afterwards, we split off into groups for the rest of the night. I joined Javier, Alba, Lorena, and a few IES students at the beach farther away. There we made a small bonfire with what we had, shared a few beers, and enjoyed the night together. The stars were absolutely incredible; so clear and bright. Unfortunately, the night was a bit cold and windy on the beach, so we had to head back to the hostel eventually!
SATURDAY:
It seemed as though I forgot to sunscreen the back of my knees the day before, because they had gotten pretty burnt. However, I lathered up in aloe vera and intended to keep my knees out of the sun. I ate a light breakfast at the hostel around 9am and then headed to the beach! Just a short walk away, we piled our stuff on the dock and picked a spot on the sand. The beach was so pretty in the morning light.
We had the day free to do as we pleased. Activities were going on all day--snorkeling, kayaking, and bike riding--so everyone was constantly coming and going. I had signed up to bike ride, but I did not end up doing it because of my sunburnt knees. Instead, I relaxed and hung out at the beach, being careful to take breaks in the shade and reapply sunscreen; the weather was the same as the day before.
Once the activities had started, I walked along the coast with Alicia. We also cooled off in the water a few times. However, the water was a bit colder than the day before, so it took us longer to get in!Later, Javier treated me, Alicia, Lorena, Matt, Melissa, and Meg to lunch. We went to the same beachside restaurant where we ate dinner the night before, and ordered a mountain of food--appetizers, paella, dessert, and a round of drinks.
Then we returned to hang out at the beach for the rest of the afternoon. Before leaving, Lorena and I stopped at the supermarket, where I bought a bottle of aloe vera gel; despite my efforts, I was certain that I burned more throughout the course of the day.
Then we picked up our bags from the hostel and left around 6pm. I tried to absorb as much of the extraordinary landscape as possible along the way, realizing that it may have been one of my last bus rides through Andalucía.
The bus took a quick break at a rest stop, where we used the bathroom and bought snacks. Then we continued on and arrived in Granada around 9pm. My bus usually drops us off at Triunfo, but there was a huge protest going on, so it dropped us off in Cartuja instead. Aja and I walked down through Triunfo to observe the event. The area was filled with hippies that were protesting "Quince M"; similar to the Occupy movements, but it came earlier. The protesters continued along Gran Vía, causing confusion among traffic.
Aja and I returned home to an empty house; it seemed that our family had gone to the beach too! So I showered, grabbed something to eat, lathered myself in aloe vera, and passed out almost immediately after.
Cabo de Gata was one of my favorite IES excursions, perhaps because it was our last one together. Even though Paige wasn't there (she had a URG exam on Friday), I had such a wonderful time with everyone, and made many lasting memories. Without a doubt, it was a trip to remember.
