Our professor was waiting for at the entrance and we spent the next hour learning some more minor things that can help us increase our grasp on the language. After class, Bert and I were supposed to play golf with Peter and Mark but the schedule changed (that has happened quite often by this point in the trip) and we opted out of golf for a little free time to pack and get our things ready to move. We told Ingolf goodbye and asked him to visit us in the states and then the team headed back to our respective host family homes. Bert, Chris and I presented our host family with some nice gifts, including the bottle of mojo that was given to us by Rafeal yesterday (we were afraid that it would bust open in our suitcases…Bert is going to try and get his home…I will let you know how that one turns out). After the hugs and kisses, we each had a couple of hours of free time before we were to be picked up for lunch. I opted for the beach, Bert decided to read, Chris worked on some things on the computer and the girls all packed their clothes. The beach was magnificent. I sat by myself and thanked God (and Rotary and Milliken (not in that particular order)) for allowing me such a great opportunity…to be in a different part of the world and getting to experience the things that our group has been able to do.Covered in black sand, I headed back to the house for a quick shower before being picked up by Peter for lunch. Our chauffeur drove us up to his house far up in the mountains where there is a different climate (the temperature changed a few degrees in only a fifteen minute drive up the mountain). We told Peter that the area that his house was in, looked like Beverly Hills and he replied in his perfect Danish accent…”Ah yes but Beverly has left a long time ago.” Tum was waiting for us where she had prepared a special Spanish cuisine…Thai food. Tum is originally from Thailand and wanted to make us a special meal. Enrique and Mariebelle joined us for lunch at the home up in the hills First we were served a noodle salad (Kayce and Nancy, she is going to send the recipe because we loved it) and then we feasted on homemade curry and rice.
We were rushed through dessert because we were to be back at the homes to be picked up by Marcos to be transported to our next destination.Today, we were moving to a part of the island near the North called Puerto de la Cruz staying in a hotel where Ingolf is the administrator. After a 45 minute drive (most of which we slept), Marcos and Merci dropped us off and we had to run upstairs and change clothes for a presentation to the Rotary Club of this city. Five or ten minutes later, we were rushed off to meet up with the men to ride a bus to the town of Gauratichi for tonight’s meeting. We met back up with some old friends from some of the other clubs and had a wonderful Rotary meeting where we were all allowed to speak about ourselves (not do the planned presentation) mostly off the cuff…and of course it was spectacular once again.
The most improved award so far goes to Bert who’s Spanish has really improved and showed in tonight’s meeting. We are continuing to work hard. Once the meeting was over, we were directed back to the bus to be transported to a small little restaurant right on the ocean for dinner. We joined about 25 Rotarians for a wonderful dinner. I sat near an old man named Antonio and he began to show me how to eat like a Tenerife native. We sat down and immediately are served some wine (of course) and then the first appetizers, snails, came out. There were some small peppers in front of us and Antonio explained to me that these were some of the most picante peppers around. He didn’t speak much English and he used a fist pump to let me know that only real men ate these. He actually used a word in Spanish that would get me in a lot of trouble if I tried to translate it…lets just say they were extremely hot. I tried a tiny little piece of these peppers just to say that I was a man and my mouth was set on fire. I talked Chris into trying one as well and we both had to have Coca-colas sent over to the table to put out the fire in our mouths. Dinner was served in the form of a large fish and some papas arrugadas. 
As the night continued on and the wine bottles got empty, Antonio talked me into taking a bite of one of the peppers (Chris got it on video). I am not sure if it was the wine or the crowd cheering my name but I bit the entire tip of the pepper and immediately had to pour Coke and water and bread down my throat to help extinguish the flames. Nothing helped. It was bad. I did however get a glowing fist pump from my new best friend, Antonio. It was worth it. He was proud and said that I was a Tenerife citizen now. The night continued on with a couple of serenades from various Rotarians, plenty of toasts to the new American friends, some dirty jokes that translated and of course…dessert. Around midnight, we all hopped back on the bus and were driven to our hotel where we retired for the evening in hopes of getting some much needed rest. We have two more days on this island and we will never forget the experiences and friends that we have had in the south. Although, I will have to try and figure out a way that I can make it the rest of the trip without a few taste buds that were burnt off with the peppers…
