Last Day, Last Swim.

The last holiday post, for the last holiday day. We chilled this day and enjoyed the last of the sunshine by the awesome huge pool our hotel had next door. It's great because hardly anyone seemed to use it, was always half empty when we were there. Managed to get the same two sunbeds each day we used it. In fact you can see our stripy blue beach towels in this photo.

It's a shame the clouds are so dark here - each day they seemed to spring from the volcanic hill behind our hotel, then when they moved away they dissipated into nice light fluffy wisps, which was great for sun bathing, not so good for photos.

The pool was so good! There was 2 pools, a free form circuit with a sunbathing island in the middle, connected by the wee wooden bridge. And an infinity pool a little higher up, complete with 2 jacuzzi pools, and 2 strange jacuzzi things that you lay on in the pool and the bubbles came up and around you - was very strange, and I didn't really like it very much. You can see it at the bottom corner in this one ->

You can also see just how large the free form pool was - a whole circuit of it was quite tiring!

But oh my! It was so lovely to be warm enough to swim OUTSIDE! It's one of my simple pleasures which I love, but only at the right temperature. Wonderful!

A few pre-swim poses - complete with flip flops and bikini top showing. I've got my linen trousers on again, so comfy! And a favourite cotton top of mine, its one of the only 2 things I've bought from Mango (normally out  my price range) and it's quite old, and a losing its shape slightly, but I do still love it. It's got lovely lace detail at the bust.

More pool photos - I'm slightly obsessed with it, in case you didn't notice. I really love that the water comes right to the grill edge too, just adds a bit of class I think. And the nice gentle steps - easing you into the, at times, chilly water.

You can see the lovely pool house in the background behind the bridge. And the wall of the infinity pool. It was really nicely done, the water lapping over the edge of the infinity pool created a nice waterfall feature below it. 

In the afternoon it seemed to get even emptier, and suddenly a family of sparrows decided to go for a wee swim too. Was really adorable to see but I don't think the pool water would have been very good for them. Managed to get a few photos before they good frightened off, this is the best one.

After our day of lounging and swimming, we went up to the roof top solarium to catch the last of the evening sun and one final dip in the hot tubs up there. I like this photo. It shows the view from the roof, with all the other hotels, and both of us. Shame you can't see my face, but Arty! YEAH! There was another pool up there too, much smaller and much colder, and loads of sun beds for people to relax on. They were actually the busiest places in the whole hotel. Sometimes really difficult to get a bed.

Sunset of the day, and the last of the holiday. It was actually a very sad sunset, beautifully sad. I realised that it was the last time I'd feel any warmth in the sun for the rest of 2011. A sad moment indeed. And I knew that it would very soon be back to real life again - and the inevitable job hunting that I just kept putting off (and now, this long after, I'm still hunting, with no success :( there are just not enough jobs for the people looking, and I'm a little sad). I also realised I had to pack up all my clothes again - and that I had worn only a fraction of those I had planned to wear, every year I pack too many and this year I promised I'd wear all of them.... but didn't. One of the reasons behind Brag Doll actually.

I love the colours in this one - sunsets are so pretty. And I love the Island ferry coming back for its last run of the day. It traveled to and from Tenerife and La Gomera several times each day, we could hear the horn occasionally from our room. Would have liked to have visited La Gomera, but I priority this holiday was to relax after the hellish year we had both had, so that's just what we did. Wonderful!

One last one of the side pool that we could see from the side of our balcony. Another free form lap-esque poll. Didn't venture in this one - but you can see the pool house of the lovely neighbouring pool near the top of the photo.

Homeward bound. Somewhere over Spain/Portugal I think.
It was a strange route home we took apparently, to get the best air currents I guess.

Such a fantastic time, and really is just what we needed. I feel much more able to survive winter having been away. Winter always seems so long and harsh, it always gets me down, but since coming back home it seems to have gone by so fast, which is fabulous! Bring on 2012!

I've also realised that I put up too many artistic photos and not enough outfit posts. I've still not comfortably found what Brag Doll is going to be - a mixture of arty things, outfits and general diary goodness I think. I'm a very creative person, and part of that comes out in my photos, so I think it's inevitable that they appear quite often on here. Just need to find a happy balance I think.

What do you think? Should I focus on just one aspect instead of trying to cram too much in? Should I leave each post with only one theme - photography in one, outfit posts in another? It's all very new to me still and I'd really value some feedback or pointers from bloggers that are more established and experienced.