'Walk in like you own the place' is her advice.
I'm visiting an old amigo in downtown Santa Cruz. She teaches English to Spanish kids in a local school. She's agreed to accompany me on an errant swimming quest, to visit as many pools in an afternoon before we get bored, cold or arrested for trespassing. Rules: pool must be entered with a dive; one length each; climb out of the pool, no steps; have fun.
So, taking not much more than the spirit of adventure with us, we set out on our merry quest.
I'm visiting an old amigo in downtown Santa Cruz. She teaches English to Spanish kids in a local school. She's agreed to accompany me on an errant swimming quest, to visit as many pools in an afternoon before we get bored, cold or arrested for trespassing. Rules: pool must be entered with a dive; one length each; climb out of the pool, no steps; have fun.
So, taking not much more than the spirit of adventure with us, we set out on our merry quest.
Piscina uno: Canarife Palace
We stroll in unchallenged. Easy, facile, peasy. Pool is unheated and deserted.
Dos: Bonanza Palace
A mismo, ídem. Place to ourselves.
Tres: Hotel Teide-Mar
Warm and curvy.
Quatro: Hotel Semiramis
Five star hotel with boring unheated pool. Think saga holidays.
Cinqo: Bella Vista Apartments
Reminds us of the penguin pool at London Zoo. Our favourite so far.
Seis: Piscina en la Azotea
Wow. We spy this rooftop oasis. Looks challenging.
After a long walk round town we finally arrive outside eight floors of private apartments. Undeterred, my cheeky compañero rings on all the intercoms and eventually manages to sweet talk her way in, or is it up. Splendid views of the town and coastline of which we don't bother to photograph. This one's a cracker tho'.
Siete y ocho: Hotel San Felipe
It's all gone a bit Pirates of the Caribbean. The posh exterior and reception reveals two semi-heated but disappointing pools. We swim in both.
Nueve: Hotel Beatriz Atlantis
This is definitely the flashest of the hotels we've visited today. Our clothes are soaked, we look shipwrecked. We squelch resolutely through reception.
Salt water pool. I swim against convention and swim three luxurious five star lengths.
Diez: Hotel La Paz
It's getting late, we're cold, we're hungry. Time to go home, time for one last pool on the way.
Ten pools each with something special in common: we swam in each without let or hindrance; each pool was deserted.
A great afternoon.
I'm becoming obsessed with the idea of swimming in the piscina del mar...