It was 6.30am when I opened my eyes and put my feet down on the floor. It was the first day of holidays I’d had in a very long time; I really wanted to return to watch a sunrise by over the ocean.
I’d selected Tenerife as my destination, staying at the hotel Vincci Selección La Plantación del Sur 5* Lujo because “I wanted to experience the amazing sunsets of the Costa de Adeje” (@lupe_mao). But that day, I decided to wake up early and see the sunrise too.The sun was barely over the horizon, with clouds hiding it from view… but finally, there it was, reflected in the turquoise waters.
I headed down to the beach. When the sand squeezed between my toes, without my permission, I had the most delicious sensation of having left it all behind and an intense feeling of “I’m finally here” washed over me.
Just at that moment, only a yard away from me, I saw something. Something moving. But, far from being startled, I moved closer. A splendid gecko, called out from his hiding place by the warmth of the sun. Just another one of those things you don’t see in the city centre, where the stress prevents you from seeing anything more than your daily tasks. As I pulled out my camera I realised that it’s these little moments that make summer magic; that summer is, quite simply, “having the time to take beautiful photos, like a #gecko in the sand” (@teresapascual80). They say that geckos bring good luck, so I had the feeling that the next few days would hold something special for me.
I got ready for “sunbathing in a hammock, with a mojito in one hand and a fan in the other” (@lady_plz) and breathed deeply. I knew my happiness came from “something as simple as lying by the sea for half an hour, while my little girl was being looked after at the miniclub” (@marisolSuri). I needed a moment of time to myself.
Déjate llevar por las sensaciones… [Lose yourself in the feelings.]
From the song by Chambao. It was just what I needed right then, to let go, to escape, to leave the routine behind… I was dying to “enjoy a massage as the sun went down, while listening to a song by Chambao” (@Conchitilla82).
Feeling like new, I started to wander round the beautiful hotel gardens that surround the pool, when I saw him. He was tall, somewhat handsome, but with one of those smiles that you never forget. I’d noticed on a number of occasions that he was looking at me, though it felt entirely natural. He came over and introduced himself. David, he was called. We talked for a while, and almost immediately it felt like we’d known each other our whole lives. He invited me to the hotel party that night and I said yes without even thinking about it.
There was music, food, entertainment, and the most wonderful atmosphere. We danced, laughed and talked, before he asked me to accompany him to the beach. We lay in the sand side by side and “watched the stars, discovering the heavens as we’d never seen them before” (@Marybruxa).
The sun returned, just as the day before…we’d fallen asleep in the sand. I looked at him and realised I’d just “found the love of my life, at a sunrise filled with laughter, dancing and great company” (@strixgoi).
The next day I could’n stop thinking about that night. I take advantage of every moment that the day offfered to me to rest and to remember every minute that I had previously lived in “a hammock in the shade, with a refreshing drink and the sound of the waves, as I let time slip by… pure relaxation” (@Cocobarcelona). And relaxing was what I needed after the tumult of emotions I’d felt.
But the magic of the weekend didn’t end there. At the end of the day, when I went back to my room, I found, on the bed with pure white sheets and huge pillows, a little surprise (@conchitilla82). I was overwhelmed by surprise and emotions… it was a small box, and inside was a note.
“It was a wonderful night. I’ll be waiting for you at 9.30pm in the hotel restaurant, El Gourmet Canario”.
After a refreshing jet shower I picked out my finest dress and went downstairs. There he was, with a captivating smile, and what lay in store was unforgettable: a “seafood dinner with white wine, looking out over the ocean, in great company” (@conchita82). Truly a dream come true. The summer could not have brought better feelings. I will always remember this summer … and this hotel.