The weather is not as good as yesterday, with quite a lot of high cloud around, although it makes for a nice sunrise which cheered me up when I opened the curtains first thing to write-up yesterday’s blog and upload my photographs.
Sandra hasn’t slept so well and doesn’t feel great, but improves enough to accompany me down to the restaurante just before 08:00.
Same food as ever, but with entertainment this morning, provided by two gardeners / tree surgeons outside the picture windows of the restaurante, clambering-up the palm trees with harness and climbing contraptions to undertake the annual pruning exercise.
When we return to the room, Sandra finds that her friend Inge has been trying to get hold of her and calls back. Apparently Inge had quite forgotten that she had the telecoms man coming to sort out her telephone this morning and requests a re-arrangement of our proposed get-together. We agree to defer until 12:00, instead of the original 10:00, which leaves us with a couple of hours to fill for the rest of the morning.
Palma Nova / Magaluf
We have three good reasons for going to Palma Nova / Magaluf - it is just along the coast from where Inge lives, so we can pop back quickly to meet her at lunchtime. We like to take a trip down memory lane on our visits to Palma, by returning to the resort where we honeymooned in 1976, now more than 44 years ago - love’s young dream! And thirdly, we have promised Sandra’s cousin, Graham, that we will recce the area, looking for the hotel where his eldest daughter, Sarah, is proposing to visit later this year with friends.
And so, we drive down the hill from Son Vida, having checked directions for Inge’s flat with Bettina at Recepcion, and park behind Palma Nova in a free car park, from where we walk down to the seafront and then proceed to stretch our legs on what will end up being a 6 Km stroll along the promenade, which is really quite a nice walk.
Even though the two resorts have a somewhat dodgy reputation on account of the young largely British tourists who over-indulge on the cheap alcohol and spoil things with their ‘rowdy’ behaviour, the local authorities have done much to try and improve the image, with on the spot fines for inappropriate behaviour and a re-branding of some of the bars / clubs / hotels.
It is just as well, since the beaches are clean and attractive, which is what drew us to the area all those years ago. At this time of year, at this time of the morning, of course, there are no issues and indeed the only people that we see on the beach itself is a couple walking their dog - it would have to be a Springer Spaniel, wagging its tail as it crazily quartered the beach looking for whatever, as all dogs of the breed are inclined to do. It made us smile.
We couldn’t access the area where Sarah’s hotel is located, as we are about 50 years too old to be allowed onto the Torrenova peninsula, but we do get close enough to be able to reassure Graham & Sarah that it is not in the seediest part of the resort, and we make our way along the Magaluf beach to where the Melia Sol Antillas hotel where we stayed all those years ago is located.
It was undergoing a major refurbishment two years ago, which looks to have been completed now. The layout looks the same, but its amazing how a paint job and addition of a few panels of cladding can improve the appearance. We don’t go inside, but take a photo from the beach and head back to Palma Nova, as the time is getting on and we need to get over to see Inge.
Bendinat
Inge is a German lady, who Sandra, Stella Hilton and Jo Burton be-friended at the local further education Spanish class that they used to take in Woking. That ended a few years back, although Sandra & Jo in particular have kept in touch with Inge and met occasionally, until she moved to Mallorca two years ago, when her husband Ken passed away.
Their son, Bryan, and his Spanish wife, Esther, who live in Palma, wanted to have her nearby so that they could look after her and provide whatever help and support she needs rather than struggle to attempt it remotely.
But of course it has been quite an upheaval and she misses some things that had made her way of life so comfortable in West Byfleet.
We found the flat quite easily and parked-up on the street outside, accompanied by Bryan, who came down to direct us to her block and then spent an hour chatting and catching-up, whilst the Telecoms guy fiddled around trying to sort-out the telephone system.
It was lovely to catch-up, and then we had to say our goodbyes and head back to Son Vida.
Downtown
We could have driven the car along into Palma, but had decided that it would be a good idea to take the bus, and the 14:33 one would work out quite nicely time-wise, with Sandra able to change and me able to watch the end of the England v Wales game that I missed the other night, still enjoyable even though I knew the result and saw the last 20 minutes when Wales were in the ascendency.
The bus is a cheap option (€4 for the two of us, compared to the c. €15 taxi far) and at least we know that it will not deviate from the direct route into town.
It’s good fun too, as you experience a little bit of local life, as few tourists take the option on this route - we try to experience it once or twice each time we stay here.
We end up strolling around the main shopping streets, mostly just window shopping and then catch a taxi back to the hotel, when the return #7 bus fails to show up in the Placa del Rei Joan Carles I at the time we expected - not the first time that this has happened!
In case anyone was in any doubt as to why we enjoy the Capuccino cafes here in Palma, Sandra who insists on her coffee being served ‘muy caliente’, certainly got her message across to the waitress when we visited there this afternoon - four muys indeed; no wonder I burned my lips and tongue!
Back at the hotel, its time for a bit of R&R, although our plans for this evening are uncertain..
R&R
Sandra has a nap, whilst I up-date the blog and then practice a bit of Duolingo, as I notice that the Obsidian league to which I’ve just been promoted seems to have some more serious students learning and I’m down in 20th place...........but not for long, as my four quick lessons elevate me to 12th; two places outside the Top 10, which determine promotion. I’m not too bothered at this stage, as by this time next week I’ll be back home and have no need to speak Spanish until we arrive in Barcelona in June for the start of our Mediterranean cruise (Coronavirus permitting!).
I then start WhatsApping my Welsh mate Stephen in Cardiff, exchanging a bit of ‘friendly banter’ about the rugby, which ends with quite a different view of the Manu Tuilagi sending-off, but that’s perspective for you.
La Cena Esta Noche
After the mix of fine dining and (un?)healthy portions of the local cuisine these past few nights, Sandra & I fancy something plain and not too much of it.
After factoring in 2x €15 taxi fares into town and then looking for somewhere to eat, we decide that the prospect of a Club Sandwich / Burger in the Bar Armas is our best bet, so pop along the corridor, where we find Pep at his Concierge desk and agree the final dining plans to the rest of the week, three more old favourites and two of his new recommendations.
Then it’s back to the Bar Armas, which is heaving tonight with other guests who are having pre-dinner drinks at about 19:30.
We take a seat in the adjacent Sala with the guns and swords on display in cabinets and Simona / Joan serve us our drinks and then the food which goes down very nicely indeed.
Before going back to our room, I nip out onto the Balcony of Mallorca, when I notice the full moon shining brightly in the sky over towards the East - it makes a nice photograph, and then its back to #653 for an early night.
The Idiom’s Guide to Mallorca
Ferran is the author of tonight’s Mallorquin idiom:-
“Cercar a na Maria per sa cuina”
.....which literally translates into “Look for Maria by the kitchen” which sounds straightforward, although its use is somewhat more profound according to the explanation, which clarifies that this idiom is used when wanting to over-complicate life unnecessarily.
It’s dawning on me after a week of these offerings that Mallorquins have done a lot of deep thinking over the years to have developed these profound sayings - do we English have such strange sayings to communicate our feelings to each other? Why aye man!
And so to bed - an early night for once.
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