Day 7 Zurich Airport - 5 hour layover - Wednesday 13th November 2024

 

Darren in his happy place.

We went for breakfast near the Asian market and then visited the market to get some seaweed chips, very tasty, having tried them the previous night, and probably finished Darren's stash, we went and got some more.

Went with Darren to get Zoe's her birthday, house-warming and Christmas present and went back to the flat to drop it off, get my bags and Darren's washing. Laundry day today while Darren is on watch I presume. 

Darren got us a Taxi to his work, the beautiful Jasi yacht, Katie and Patricio were both already at work so I got to meet Patricio as well, who later lent Darren his car to take me to the airport.

Darren took the boat through its start-up procedure, I understood very little but it was great to watch.

Darren with one of the rudders behind him (if I understood correctly, there are two, one on each side.

The view from Jasi's deck.

After the startup procedure, shutting everything down.

At one of the boat containers at STP.

Patricio's Golf, the same as Vovo's.

One of the vessels in the yard.

Left Palma at 15:00, landed in Zurich at 17:00 and flying to Johannesburg at 22:45, I love an airport but this feels long.

Day 7 Rain and more rain back in Palma - Wednesday 13th November 2024

Yesterday, Darren drove us all the way from Soller to the caves of Porto Cristo and then across the island again to Alcudia all in pouring rain, continuous unrelenting rain. 

The roads are good but Darren is a great driver and both Zoe and Darren have been fantastic hosts. I have eaten every delicacy of Mediterranean origin, Just yesterday I started with a croissant of salmon and avocado, lunch was tapas (calamari in a tomato base sauce, tuna salad, pasties of cheese and ham, meatballs), cheese, special iberico jamon, olives and aioli which I need to learn how to make.

The pigs in the picture behind us are Iberian pigs they have dark skin with a sparse coat, a pointed snout, and long, slender legs. The genetic trait of this breed is its ability to store fat in muscle tissue, which is the key to the unmistakable flavour and texture of Iberico jamones. Iberian pigs eat a staple diet of acorns (the fruit of holm and cork oaks), supplemented by wild grasses and berries, and legumes. The actual consumption depends on the animal's weight, although 6 to 10 kg of acorns per animal/day is considered normal, in addition to about 3 kg of grass daily. Because the dehesa pasture ecosystem is limited in size, with no more than 50 holm oaks per hectare, production of Iberian pigs is limited to just over a million head of livestock.

Back in Palma we walked around getting the final presents and the final glass of cava, my new favourite alcoholic drink. No headache (no hangover) and I had to be in Spain to find it, my last,  now second favourite drink,  red wine, I also discovered in Spain during the Camino.

To end a great day yesterday obviously once again great food, cava and some red wine. Different types of olives, game dry wors, cheese, pate, biscuits.

I am now sitting on the bed typing this knowing that I am catching the 15:00 Swiss air flight back to Zurich, Johannesburg and then Port Elizabeth. I have loved every minute of being here in Majorca with Darren and Zoe and will miss them knowing that they are happy. Zoe is moving into her own place which I have not yet seen but hope to visit some time in the future and also a very happy birthday to Zoe for Friday the 15th November.

The Goudie Building in Palma

 

Day 6 Rain and more rain + the old town of Alcúdia - Tuesday 12th November 2024

 

The old town of Alcúdia in northern Mallorca is truly a medieval town. It originated from the Roman settlement of Pollentia, and you can still explore the remains located between the town and the Port d'Alcúdia.

In 1362, under King Jaume II, the romans completed the impressive city wall, with its striking crenelated towers. You can still see parts of the wall, including the well-preserved city gates, Porta de Mallorca and Porta del Moll.

We walked along some sections of the city wall, and the views of the old town from up there were great. It is difficult to get a perspective of the town, unlike the Mdina in Malta where the town is displayed in maps all over the citadel, Alcudia seems to not want visitors as they do not advertise the places to see, nor does anyone have printed maps.

We walked through the narrow streets of Alcúdia and found a bar where we had a variety of tapas chosen by the chef plus the Alioli, olives, traditional bread, cheese and ham. So so good!!

We continued walking in the rain - soooo much rain and saw the Casa Consistorial town hall in Plaça Espanya, which showcases stunning Renaissance architecture. The lovingly restored façades of the buildings reflect both Moorish and Roman influences that have shaped this charming northern town.

Mixture of the old wall and the new highway

Day 6 Cuevas del Drach - Tuesday 12th November 2024

 

Darren drove us to the east coast of Mallorca, more specifically the town of Porto Cristo, where the caves are located. These stunning caves are undoubtedly one of the Majorca's top tourist attractions, extending for almost 1,200 meters in length and reaching a maximum depth of 25 meters below ground level. The caves conceal a large underground lake, Lake Martel, regarded as one of the biggest underground lakes in the world.

We arrived with plenty of time to spare for the 10:30 walk through, had breakfast, Darren had a hotdog and I had a salmon and avocado croissant. As mentioned before, there is no bad food of this island. While we were eating, Terrance phoned us with the news of his engagement. Congratulations Terrance and Carolyn, So very happy for both of you.

We entered the caves, they are magnificent and with the underground lake, the stark contrast is beautiful. We walked through the caves and sat down in an amphitheater where we were treated to a live classical concert by performers on boats. Zoe had given Darren the tip of sitting in the left most side of the theatre which we did and were first on a boat ride that took us to the other side of the caves.

After the tour, we walked around Porto Cristo, looked so much like Port St Francis.

The llaüt is a small and very stable boat, even in rough seas. It originated on Mallorca as a boat intended for fishing, mainly trawling. It dates back all the way to the Phoenicians, but its true creators were the so-called "mestres d'aixa" (masters of the adze – a boat-building tool), or "carpinteros de ribera” (riverbank carpenters), a trade that is near extinction but still survives in certain areas of Mallorca, such as Portocolom, Manacor, Vilafranca and Port de Pollença.

Day 5 St Lluc, Song of Sybil - Monday 11th November 2024

 

The Song of the Sibyl is a liturgical drama and a Gregorian chant, the lyrics of which comprise a prophecy describing the Apocalypse, which has been performed in churches on Majorca (Balearic Islands, Spain) and Alghero (Sardinia, Italy), and some Catalan churches, in the Catalan language on Christmas Eve nearly uninterruptedly since medieval times. It was declared a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on 16 November 2010.

Original Catalan	English Translation
Al jorn del judici parrà qui avrà fet servici.	On the day of judgment, he will be spared who has done service.
Jesucrist, Rei universal, home i ver Déu eternal, del cel vindrà per a jutjar i a cada u lo just darà.	Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, man and true eternal God, from Heaven will come to judge and to everyone will give what is fair.
Gran foc del cel davallarà; mars, fonts i rius, tot cremarà. Daran los peixos horribles crits perdent los seus naturals delits.	Great fire from the heaven will come down; seas, fountains and rivers, all will burn. Fish will scream loudly and in horror losing their natural delights.
Ans del Judici l'Anticrist vindrà i a tot lo món turment darà, i se farà com Déu servir, i qui no el crega farà morir.	Before the Judgement the Antichrist will come and will give suffering to everyone, and will make himself be served like God, and who does not obey he will make die.
Lo seu regnat serà molt breu; en aquell temps sots poder seu moriran màrtirs tots a un lloc aquells dos sants, Elíes i Enoc.	His reign will be very short; in these times under his power will die martyrs, all at once those two saints, Elijah and Enoch.
Lo sol perdrà sa claredat mostrant-se fosc i entelat, la lluna no darà claror i tot lo món serà tristor.	The sun will lose its light showing itself dark and veiled, the moon will give no light and the whole world will be sorrow.
Als mals dirà molt agrament: —Anau, maleits, en el turment! Anau-vos-ne en el foc etern amb vòstron príncep de l'infern!	To the evil ones he will say very sourly: —Go, damned, into the torment! Go into the eternal fire with your prince of Hell!
Als bons dirà: —Fills meus, veniu! Benaventurats posseïu el regne que us he aparellat des que lo món va esser creat!	To the good he will say: —My children, come! Lucky ones, you possess the kingdom I have kept for you ever since the world was created!
Oh humil Verge! Vós qui heu parit Jesús Infant aquesta nit, a vòstron Fill vullau pregar que de l'infern vulla'ns lliurar!	Oh humble Virgin! May you who have given birth to Child Jesus on this night, pray to your son so he will want to keep us from Hell!

Day 5 Soller to Sierra da Tramuntana - Monday 11th November 2024

 

The Tramontana mountain range (in Majorcan Serra de Tramuntana highlighted by red dots in the picture below) is the main mountain range of the Balearic Islands, in Spain . The mountain range is located in the northwest of the island of Mallorca, hence its name, since the Tramontana is the wind that comes from that direction, although more specifically its northern component, which is the Tramontana wind according to the local wind rose (Mediterranean). Its origin dates back to the alpine retreat of the secondary era. It is home to the three large reservoirs of Mallorca: the Cúber, the Gorg Blau and the military one for use at the Puig Mayor base, which is smaller. This mountain range also gives its name to one of the regions of Mallorca: the Sierra de Tramontana region.

 In June 2011, the cultural landscape of the mountain range was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO

The roads to get to the Sierra de Tramuntana are a series of multiple S bends either climbing or descending, never straight. Our speed remained below 60Km the whole way, around 31kms in 53 minutes.

Darren parked at this favourite spot, where he had parked the camper and remained for quite a few days exploring the area. It is so beautiful. We were unable to find the sheep that kept him company while he was there during his previous stay.

The initial 3kms is rough stone and road, up and down, then another 5km or so on road and then another 7km through beautiful forests.

Our first stop was St Lluc for coffee and a sandwich.

According to legend, in the years following the Reconquista, the recapture of Mallorca in 1229 by Jaume I., a young boy called Lluc found a statue of the Virgin Mary in the Tramuntana mountains. The boy took the statue to the village priest who gave it a place of honour in the church. The next day, however, the statue had, without explanation, returned to its original spot where it had been found in the mountains.

 The people here interpreted this “miracle” to mean that the Virgin Mary wanted to remain at exactly this spot and a small chapel was, therefore, built here which formed the origins of Santuari de Lluc.

In 1962 Pope John XXIII declared the Church of Lluc, which had been built in a Renaissance style, a “Minor Basilica”, an honorary title which is granted to special churches. The Black Madonna statue, where the pilgrims head to, can be found in the main alter. Similar to Palma’s La Seu cathedral, part of the interior was also designed by Antonio Gaudí at the beginning of the 20th century.

We carried on our walk, the blue circular route to Binifaldo, Refugi Pent Roma where Darren and I had a beer and back to St Lluc and then back to Darren's camping site.

Binifaldo

Day 5 Palma to Soller - Monday 11th November 2024

 

After a breakfast of cake, sandwiches and coffee, we got onto the FerroCarril de Soller.

 The historic electric train takes a route north from the capital across the plains, winding through mountains and 13 tunnels of the Serra de Tramuntana, finally ending in the large railway station of the northern town of Sóller.

Work began on the railway in 1911 on the profits of the orange and lemon trade, which at the time was booming. For this reason, it is sometimes known as the Orange Express.

The sound of the train is different on open fields versus in the tunnel.

Fields that we passed on the way from Palma to Soller.

In the tunnel, must be right next door to the tunnel we drove through on our way from Palma to Soller on the first day.

We walked into Soller, dropped our stuff and made our way back to the car for the drive into the Sierra de Tramuntana.