Loop Life with Greg and Reenie: FORT LAUDERDALE to SPAIN and BACK

We are both happy to be back aboard Thistle in Fort Lauderdale :)

Yes, we enjoyed an off the Loop experience, traveling to Spain for a couple of weeks!

Greg played with the Santa Barbara Masters Water Polo Team at The Spanish Cup in the Canary Islands. So, even though we are committed to completing the Great American Loop .... sometimes “Life Just Gets in the Way” (Really how could we not take advantage of this opportunity?).

After traveling and finally over jet lag we are excited and reinvigorated to be back on our floating home and Loving Loop Life.

Looper Tip: It was a good idea to take a short Loop Life break. The break made us appreciate our Great Loop Adventure even more :) It was also a perfect time for Thistle to get some minor cosmetic work done.

Thistle docked at the Hall of Fame Marina.

We took the train from Fort Lauderdale to Charleston.

(Our flight to Spain was booked months ago from Charleston... We incorrectly guessed our Loop progress.)

The famous Silver Meteor Passenger train ride was definitely an interesting experience? The route between New York City and Miami started in 1939 and is still in operation today.

We flew from Charleston to JFK then to Madrid.

After traveling around Madrid for six days we flew from Valencia to Lanzarote in The Canary Islands.

We rented a small car for a week at the Madrid airport and returned the car at the Valencia airport.

While traveling we stayed at various Paradores de Turismo de Espana (Green circles).

Paradores are a state run hotel chain to promote Spanish tourism. The hotels are very reasonably priced and are located in adapted castles, palaces, fortresses, convents, monasteries and other historic buildings.

Some of the hotels have pools (and Greg was anxious to swim in preparation for the water polo tournament) but way too cold!

In Toledo we followed the trail of Don Quixote.

This is the Parador Alarcon, an 8th century castle.

Our hotel room was the “keep” or the castle top!

We felt like a King and Queen

(Reenie soaked in the tub enjoying a bubble bath...truly a luxury after living on a boat).

Beautiful Spain!

Wonderful food and wine.

The Spanish Sierras in the background.

Copa De Espana 2018.

Fantastic friendships new and old :)

Santa Barbara 55 and older team was undefeated in the tournament.

After the tournament we toured the island with good friends.

We visited the National Volcano Park, Timanfaya and had lunch at Cafe Gregorio.

Back to Madrid for one night.

Then a one night stop in New York City, where we saw Mean Girls (excellent) and tea the next morning at Gregory’s :) Before our flight back to Fort Lauderdale.

Once back in Fort Lauderdale we finally had a chance to visit The International Swimming Hall of Fame Museum.

In the Museum we found a photo of Greg’s University of California Santa Barbara 1979 NCAA Championship Water Polo Team (some of his teammates were just in Spain with us).

A photo of Greg with his teammates on the United States Olympic Water Polo Team at the Seoul Opening Ceremony.