We have today off because it's Kings Day here. Most of the stores and shops are closed, so what else to do but... to hike?!? Afterall, hiking is probably one of the most well-known activity here on the island, especially with all these mountains.
Our day started out with breakfast at this small "coffee shop?" I'm not even sure what these are called, but they remind me of tiny coffee shops or sub stations... They have quick, easy, and cheap breakfast sandwiches and pastries. And of course, most of these coffee shops have something that is also pretty well known here- cafe con leche (coffee with milk).
We filled our bellies with yummy sandwiches for breakfast and brought some sandwiches for lunch during the hike. I've gotten so addicted to the tortilla espanola (which basically is an omelette with potatoes. Anyone who knows me well would probably know how great of an obsession I have with potatoes). The chicken sandwiches are also great! All of these sandwiches are also reasonably priced, which I was pretty ecstatic since I am on a tight budget. To be honest, breakfast and lunch for about 5 euros?! That's wicked.
All of us then took the bus up to the mountain. And the struggles then began for me. Being THE least athletic person in history, I knew going in that hiking would be the biggest challenge for me. And no doubt, it was the greatest challenge ever. All those science classes and the stress I've faced in my high school and college years? Those were literally nothing compared to what I went through today, but that's mainly because I'm the most physically-challenged person known to mankind.
Do you see the white billboard/sign near the car on the top of the ledge?
Do you see the mountain directly behind it?
Do you see the white little house on that mountain?
Okay, cool. Imagine another mountain behind that mountain... We started there.
And here, where this picture was taken, is where we ended. Enough said.
I kid you not. It was approximately 10,000 meters.
So much endurance and patience and strength were built on this hiking journey. Of course, I'm speaking mainly for myself because there were some pretty hardcore souls in our group that didn't mind the hike at all. Haha, and needless to say, I was the weak-link that basically held everyone back. Even Katie, who is 6-month pregnant, was in much better shape than I was. Although I admit, there were many times during the trip where I feared for the baby... Oh dear John, you will one day hear about how your mother Katie is so hardcore that she went on such hiking trip. Honestly though, if you were in my position, you'd probably be just as freaked out ;P It was such a journey. It seemed never ending. There were slippery rocks. The ledges are small to walk through. The constant ascending and descending were so challenging. It was pretty difficult, as I have never hiked before in my entire life.
Given that this was my first hiking experience, I'm going to give myself a pat on the back because I made it. And the whole hiking trip was done in 5-6 hours, which still seems impossible to me even though I went through it all. If I was by myself, I would have given up 30 minutes in. And as Alyia said, "I wouldn't even have started!" But I'm glad I did. Just to know that I was capable of doing so with all the support I received from the fellows and AP staff. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Literally once-in-a-lifetime because I most likely will not choose to hike such distance and rocky mountains again haha. But the feeling I got when I made it all the way down... to look back at the starting point... to think I actually did the impossible (for me)..... that victorious feeling of "Wow. I did that?! Wow. I DID THAT!"
That was just indescribable.
On another note, I might have to walk around like a duck tomorrow because my legs are completely burnt out. I guess we'll see :)
PS.
Funny story that I almost left out. Well, at least I think it's funny.
After the hike, it was a struggle to find the bathroom, so we had to take the bus back into the city to a nearby coffee shop. Literally a third of the way, I had to pee REALLY REALLY bad that I almost teared up because I was nearly exploding. I do NOT joke when it comes to how terrible I am at holding it in. Yes, yes, probably TMI for you. So as soon as we got off the bus, I bolted out, found a big enough tree in the alley. And the rest is history. I swear I heard a car engine right behind me, but I didn't care.
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