Nic dice:
This morning, I woke up a little late because I stayed up watching Spanish tv last night. Someone told us that we could help better our Spanish by watching television and/or seeing a Spanish film. I watched some show that reminded me of Benny Hill but I think it helped a little. Before I went to bed, I flipped over to Fox News and caught up on all of the happenings in the US. Seems like the same old stuff is happening in the States (I plan to refer to the US as the states now because I am an international traveler).I woke up this morning a little late. My alarm didn’t go off but I had plenty of time to get to the meeting place. We had to pack our bags because this afternoon, we would be moving to the District Conference. We got all of our stuff together and bid our first home adieu. This morning, we were visiting the Cabildo so we had to be dressed in our formal outfits. We started out the fifteen minute walk (this time with all of our luggage with us) and arrived at Hotel Lanzarote with a little bit of sweat on our backs. We are met by Alfredo and instructed to leave our bags with the hotel staff. We sat down and waited for our fearless leader to show up. Raphael walks in about five minutes after 9 am (this after he told us yesterday that it was “muy importante” to be “punto manana”). He blames it on the traffic and laughs it off. We all hop in the guagua (on an earlier blog, we spelled this word incorrectly…this word means bus and is pronounced wawa…don’t ask me why) and head to the middle of town. We get to the Cabildo (capitol) and walk in the front door and are met by a whole host of people. We see Pepe, who we met earlier at the Pealla and who we now know is a consultant for the electric companies in the islands, and are introduced to Frank Devlyn, a former Rotary International President (which is a huge deal) and probably the nicest guy in the entire world. We talk to Frank (we know him well enough now that we can call him Frank) for a little while learn that his father is from Chicago and his mother Mexico, he owns the market of Optical Services/Business in all of Mexico and he is an ambassador for the current President of Rotary. Apparently, the current President can’t be at every district conference but he always sends someone pretty important in his place. Frank speaks a few languages including Spanish and English and is a great conversationalist. We talked to him for a while and then are whisked away upstairs. The cabildo has just been built a few years ago and is remarkable. Most everything is made of marble and it has an amazing view of the beach. We are led into a waiting room where we enjoy more conversation with Frank, Juan Jesus (current district governor of 2200) and a few other Rotarians as we are waiting for el Presidente to be ready for us while we have our picture taken by several newspapers photographers and a couple of tv crews. Finally, we follow Raphael into a large office and each of us are introduced (kisses on both cheeks) to Ines Rojas de Leon (the current President of Lanzarote…we think this is similar to our Governor…It is an elected position but she is in charge of the entire island’s government). Ines (we are not on first name basis with Ines but I don’t want to write out her entire name again) is a stunning lady and her office is immaculate. We see Manrique paintings on the walls and many photos of other dignitaries. We are led to her sitting area and are asked to sit in a semicircle so she can speak with us. She welcomes us and speaks about the island, the economy and a few other things that I did not understand. Frank then speaks to the group which includes every Rotary who is anybody on the islands and then passes along greetings to el Presidente from the President of Mexico and the President of Rotary. She speaks a little while longer and then presents us with a gift from the Cabildo and then we stand around for pictures for the newspapers/television. Bert presented el Presidente with all of our gifts including the SC State quarter to which she exclaimed “I will take this as a campaign contribution.” I have been excited about this day all week because the town is in the middle of campaigns for the elections that will take place at the end of the month. Ines is running for re-election and all over town, we have had the opportunity to meet various candidates and hear everyone talking about political issues. I am right at home although I am not at the point where I argue my side in Spanish yet.
After the pictures, we head back downstairs and head out the door for our next stop on day number five.Carla dice:
The school of Maritime and Fishing related activities is a free institution that professionals go to in order to recieve a certificate in diving, fish cultivation, mechanical, captain, or communication/navigation. Fernado, the director of the school gave us a tour of the facility and explained to us the history of the school. His office was small but had a great view of the ocean. The facility is also shared as a school for youngsters (primary school). On the tour we first stopped in the machine shop and the smell of oil and grease made me instantly happy. I love those type of places. And the host Rotary clubs were so worried about not being able to show an engineer things that were interesting on the islands... I have been extremely happy with everything we have seen, and very impressed! We toured the fish cultivation center next and saw fish, sea turtles, and enormous hermit crabs. We were allowed to touch the sea turtle (there were 2, but one would not come to the surface).
We were taken to the dive simulators next. As we walked outside we saw that there were divers in the water and then we were shown the area where the scuba instructors teach and then in the back of the room was the decompression chamber. Fernando then showed su the simulator that helps train students for survival skills with fires on large ships. After this, we said our goodbyes and thank yous, and Catherine was transported to her TV interview while the rest of us piled in the van to go to Palacio Spinola in Teguise.Catherine dice:
After the tour, I had the honor of being interviewed by Lancelot Television at the base of the Arrecife Gran Hotel. Myles Golden had worked to prepare us for a lot of questions that we might anticipate while on the exchange, but I certainly got more than I bargained for today. Instead of discussing our team and the purpose of the GSE, the conversation moved from George W. Bush to gun control to Iraq and back again...Whew! Thankfully, Severino (one of the Rotarians who has been around most of the time and a reporter himself) taught us a phrase that we can use if we ever find ourselves in the political firing line in the future..."sin comentario” (no comment).
Bert dice…
After our touring, we picked up our luggage at the Hotel Lancelot, and headed toward Playa Blanca. We stopped for lunch in the town of Yaiza at Restaurante La Era. The restaurant is owned by a Rotarian. Antonio seems to be one of the more influential members of RC Lanzarote. He wears a white hat that we have all decided reminds us of “Juan Valdez” of coffee commercial fame. It is in an 18th century farm house, one of the only buildings to survive the last major eruption of the volcano. The complex includes the house itself as well as the stable area for camels all of which has been renovated to create the most beautiful restaurant we’ve been in so far. It is a beautiful setting.
The meal was even more wonderful than the setting itself. It was a special meal that was prepared for us… Seven courses! None of them was very large, but all together the effect was VERY filling. What a surprise. This was another fine example of our typical daily schedule – comer, beber, comer, beber (eat, drink, eat drink). There was an initial appetizer plate with four items,
then a watercress soup,
then salad,
then some kind of cheese and potatoes, 
then fish (tuna),
then meat (rabbit!), 
then a dessert assortment, 
and finally coffee. 
It’s really a good thing that at the District Conference we’re staying a 20 minute walk from the meeting hotel!!
This was another fine example of how Americans go out to eat, while Europeans dine. Two hours, more or less, of good food and good conversation. And most of the conversation was in Spanish! I think we’re all somewhat amazed as to how much our linguistic ability is improving.
Tong dice…
At noon, we were heading to the oldest town, also the old capital of Lanzarote, called “Teguise” except Catherine. She was doing a TV interview in Spanish, representing our GSE team. Like other towns, a lot of the houses are white, but a lot of windows frames and doors were stained wood rather than the green color we have seen. We took a little break sitting at the visitors’ center. It’s a neat old building which reminded me of the West End building. Then Knut guided us for a walking tour in Teguise. The town center is not very big like many modern cities but it is very peaceful with an ancient cathedral in the center. Rafael, my host father, also arranged for us to visit a museo called Palacio Spinda in Teguise. The palace was built in the 1700s with more than twelve rooms including a small cathedral. The palace was privately owned until 1974 and was acquired by the town for many years restoration, later converted to a museum. We had a wonderful tour guide with sparkling blue eyes and a beautiful smile. She also served us coffee with cookies and small cakes called queque in the palace’s cocina. Normally visitors can only view the room behind a rope, but we were actually sitting inside the room at a table with many treats on it. How special is that! On the way to our van, Nic bought a beautiful, one of a kind necklace for Kayce at one of the cute shops in Teguise. (shh...don't tell her...it is a suprise)
Chris dice…
We arrived at the hotel at about 6pm. We were in our formal attire and were a little early for the cocktails prior to the actual meeting taking place.
It began with music from a live orchestra, then designated speaker Frank Develyn spoke. It was obviously all in spanish but I was able to see how many rotarians had years with rotary. There were several people standing when asked 30 years or more. Each club was then introduced. Ventura (my initial host family father) carried in a flag. We than began eating dinner, it was wonderful.
After dinner we began talking with all of the Rotarians and had a quick few minutes to share photos and discuss different questions everyone had. Poor Catherine has been a huge benefit to us and to most of the Canarians as well as she has been the mediator between all. Finally, the District Govenor Juan Jesus Suarez finished with a quick speech which ended the evening a few minutes after midnight
Nic dice:
All in all, the day was another wonderful one. None us can believe that we have already been here for five days and there is still so much to see and do. Tomorrow, we will visit an active volcano and then will have attend the Pirate Fiesta (we learned that the white party is officially a “Pirate Party”)…I am going to try and find an eye patch…
then fish (tuna), then meat (rabbit!), then a dessert assortment, and finally coffee. It’s really a good thing that at the District Conference we’re staying a 20 minute walk from the meeting hotel!!This was another fine example of how Americans go out to eat, while Europeans dine. Two hours, more or less, of good food and good conversation. And most of the conversation was in Spanish! I think we’re all somewhat amazed as to how much our linguistic ability is improving.
Tong dice…
At noon, we were heading to the oldest town, also the old capital of Lanzarote, called “Teguise” except Catherine. She was doing a TV interview in Spanish, representing our GSE team. Like other towns, a lot of the houses are white, but a lot of windows frames and doors were stained wood rather than the green color we have seen. We took a little break sitting at the visitors’ center. It’s a neat old building which reminded me of the West End building. Then Knut guided us for a walking tour in Teguise. The town center is not very big like many modern cities but it is very peaceful with an ancient cathedral in the center. Rafael, my host father, also arranged for us to visit a museo called Palacio Spinda in Teguise. The palace was built in the 1700s with more than twelve rooms including a small cathedral. The palace was privately owned until 1974 and was acquired by the town for many years restoration, later converted to a museum. We had a wonderful tour guide with sparkling blue eyes and a beautiful smile. She also served us coffee with cookies and small cakes called queque in the palace’s cocina. Normally visitors can only view the room behind a rope, but we were actually sitting inside the room at a table with many treats on it. How special is that! On the way to our van, Nic bought a beautiful, one of a kind necklace for Kayce at one of the cute shops in Teguise. (shh...don't tell her...it is a suprise)
Chris dice…
We arrived at the hotel at about 6pm. We were in our formal attire and were a little early for the cocktails prior to the actual meeting taking place.
It began with music from a live orchestra, then designated speaker Frank Develyn spoke. It was obviously all in spanish but I was able to see how many rotarians had years with rotary. There were several people standing when asked 30 years or more. Each club was then introduced. Ventura (my initial host family father) carried in a flag. We than began eating dinner, it was wonderful.After dinner we began talking with all of the Rotarians and had a quick few minutes to share photos and discuss different questions everyone had. Poor Catherine has been a huge benefit to us and to most of the Canarians as well as she has been the mediator between all. Finally, the District Govenor Juan Jesus Suarez finished with a quick speech which ended the evening a few minutes after midnightNic dice:
All in all, the day was another wonderful one. None us can believe that we have already been here for five days and there is still so much to see and do. Tomorrow, we will visit an active volcano and then will have attend the Pirate Fiesta (we learned that the white party is officially a “Pirate Party”)…I am going to try and find an eye patch…
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