Majorca – Island of Olives, Beaches, Tourists and Exquisite Scenery

Hola,

It’s been way too long since I wrote a blog, actually an entire country ago. No excuses, just having too much fun to sit at the Internet café and write, but guilt has taken hold, so here I am. I’m writing this at our lovely flat in Los Palmitos in Port de Pollenca on the north coast of the island of Majorca. When I get to the café, I’ll connect and blog this, so look for the photos which will all be grouped at the bottom, unless I figure out how to move them around.

Okay, nuts and bolts done.

Charlie and I have always loved Spain – the people, the food, the scenery, the culture and just about everything else…especially the wine! This is our third visit to Majorca, which lies 150 miles southeast of Barcelona and is the largest of the Balearic Islands. Now a major tourist destination for the rest of Europe, Majorca has a history that dates back 8000 years. Once a major Roman stronghold – see the photo of Roman ruins below – Majorca’s strategic position in the Mediterranean has led to its being conquered numerous times by everyone from the Phoenicians to Franco.

We arrived in Palma, the island’s largest city, drove across the island to Port de Pollenca and were in the pool within 2 hours of arrival! With Robyn and her sons, Oliver and Elliot, we’ve walked, swam, fished, shopped, read lots of books in the sun, eaten lovely fresh fruits and veggies from the weekly farmer’s market, found excellent Spanish reds for as low as 1 Euro (about $1.45), carved our own leg of jamon de Serrano, discovered fabulous Majorcan cheeses and enjoyed perfect weather.

Charlie has cycled over 300 miles around the island, which is quite mountainous and full of narrow, winding roads. He has conquered two of the toughest routes already, and is planning tomorrow’s ride as I write. Majorca is a training base for the Tour de France, so he was able to rent a bike as good as his and find excellent support, maps and advice from the local bike shop, whose mechanic used to be with Lance Armstrong’s team.

The other day, Charlie and I toured the old town of Alcudia, which is still partly surrounded by the 800 year old walls and moat and is adjacent to the Roman ruins from 80 BC. The old town is filled with narrow sandstone streets, intriguing casas hidden behind wooden shutters and excellent cafes serving Majorcan specialties like pa amb oli, frit mallorqui and paella catalana. We felt at times as if we were on a movie set and half expected to see armored noblemen on Arabian horses ride through the city gates.

I am always amazed at the depth and breadth of the history and culture we find on our trips abroad. Just imagining how many people have walked into this town through these gates, and through the Roman city before that, is a bit mind boggling. Seems as if Majorca has always been a desired destination!

My next installment will explore the local farmers’ markets and Majorcan wine country.

Adios!