Palma de Mallorca

Sitting on the 'beach' of the Starnberger See this weekend, looking at the alps in the distance, I caught myself thinking that was the closest to a lazy, beachy South African Sunday I'd experienced while being here when suddenly, a pebbled poked my foot in the most uncomfortable way and I remembered...

Palma de Mallorca. They have sandy beaches there, none of this pebble rubbish like Lake Garda and Starnberger See. You can actually sit down with out getting Pebble Dents on your derrière. Plus they have an actual sea.

And suddenly, Starnberg just doesn't compare.

As soon as I stepped off the plane in Mallorca, I felt at home. There was something in the air that Munich, despite it's fresh air and lush parks, just doesn't have... Salt.

Short bus trip later and we were at our hotel, thirsty from having my mouth open in awe the whole ride, grabbed our towels and headed over to Cala Major to begin our Island Getaway, and what better way than with a quick afternoon sun tan and a swim?

Saturday morning we hired bicycles and made our way along the coast where we collapsed onto the beach under a little thatched umbrolly and promptly dosed off (as you must in Spanish Territory) until we were melting, quick swim and a game of 'beach pong' to dry off and then we followed our noses to a little place who promised 'the best Paella in Mallorca,' and really, who can argue with that???

Sunday was a little rainy so we cycled around a bit in the morning and saw the Old Town, had a our feet nibbled by tiny fish at the Fish Spa and headed back to the hotel for a nap. What they don't tell you plunge your feet into a fish tank of little fish is that, while leaving your feet extremely smooth.... it tickles. This would have been a handy hint what with us being the window display and all... at least the passers by got a good show :)

Now Mallorca is the kind of place that made us get up early, well, early enough to make breakfast EVERY morning! And I have come to take that as a sign of either a really great place or the lack of a disco ball. But despite our bar-hop-on-bicycles through the Sunday rain, we were there, eating our eggs with the most morning of morning people, the sailors and the German Tourists. Who, by the by, have a very strong presence in Mallorca... Turns out going there to get away from the Germans who surround you in every day Munich life isn't too clever, as they are all heading there too. The up side to that is that most Mallorcans (?) speak German, so all I needed was 'un dos tres.' And they say pop music won't teach you anything! ha! :)

On Monday we went off to Port de Soller on the very same train they used way back in 1912, which chugged along through the orange orchards in all its' wooden splendor. After a walk around and a spot of lunch we headed back to the train, to find out that it was only coming in about 4 hours, so we did what any right minded Spaniard would do... had a quick nap on a bench out of the rain and then found a coffee shop for a few cuppacchino's. No a bad way to spend an afternoon!

So, if you are interested in a relaxed, beachy holiday. A little sailing, cheap food, good food, (fresh fish!) A little sun, a little siesta... then Mallorca is for you. It's for me, I know that much! In fact, if there weren't only 2 and a half months left in this YEAR abroad, I would be heading straight back there every chance I got. But alas, there are other places to explore!