Pic of the week 24/10/21
So we are back from a few wonderful days in Majorca.
We flew out before even the sparrows were awake on Tuesday, leaving a dark, damp Bristol airport behind us, arrive two hours later to the glourious Majorcan sun and blue, blue Mediterranean skies.
We spent the late morning and afternoon wandering the city, eating pastries and drinking coffees before returning to the roof top terrace of our apartment so I could snooze in the sunshine!
The next day, we boarded a local bus and headed to Andratx, for market day – not too much to right home about, only a small market in a square, but we sat and enjoyed a coffee and zumo de naranja. I did feel I had stumbled into some of the language learning resources from the 80s & 90s that I have been using, as I listened to the stall holders try to sell their wares. I was very impressed with myself when I overheard the veg main explaining to a Spanish lady that the cabbages were the same price, whether big or small. I was pleased that, without really listening out for it, I was able to tune in and understand a real conversation in Spanish. (Before we left for Andratx, I had asked, and understood the answers, in Spanish, a couple of questions at the information desk.)
Then it was on to Port de Andratx – a very pretty port and one that harboured a lot of very expensive boats. We had an enjoyable walk around the harbour, before finding a tiny slither of beach, where we sat and soaked up the sun for a couple of hours, and I swam in the crystal clear warm sea.
We then walked round to the other side of the harbour for coffee, spotting an octopus – pulpo – swimming right where the sea met the harbour wall. A really quite impressive sight.
That evening we returned to Palma and, after eating, wandered around the ground of the Cathedral all lit up against the darkness. Very peaceful and very beautiful.
The next day, we toured (on foot) the gardens and Cathedral grounds before walking along the sea front to Portixol where we enjoyed a leisurely, lingering lunch before walking back along the beach – with taking an obligatory dip.
And then it was Friday morning – time to get up, walk 10 minutes to the bus station, get the bus to the airport and fly home (circa 1 hour delay due to the airport being “busy”)
A wonderful few days away that felt longer. I enjoyed everything about it, Majorca is so close, yet offers so much, I am sure we will return before too long. I enjoyed practising my Spanish on native speakers – I think that they didn’t revert straight to English was a positive sign. I’m not giving up on my language learning, but I have achieved what I initially set out to do and be able to converse, albeit it falteringly, with the locals and no longer be that Brit abroad who expects everyone to speak English.