The one with the In-laws - Pollensa and La Granja

---

There's no rest for the wicked as when our next weekend rolls around, it is the turn of Greg's mum and dad to visit us for a few days. The timing has worked out well as we finish on a Monday day shift and are not back again until the Thursday afternoon. It means we can pick them up from the airport and after a quick hello to Nacho at the flat (who is mega excited) we head down into Santa Ponsa to stop off for a drink and for Archie and Margaret to get something to eat. The place is absolutely buzzing as it is San Juan, the night of the bonfires.



We are working the first day Margaret and Archie arrive, so we have to spend an hour or two with Nacho after work before we leave him in all night on his own. So we take him to a dog beach we have heard about which is in costa calma just along the road from us. Its a bit of a mission to find as its down a set of steep, hidden stairs, and then we have to traipse over some marshy grassland to get to the little rocky beach. But Nacho is in heaven when he gets to dive into the cool water, and there are several other dogs there too so he gets to run and swim around chasing sticks and rocks with them all. The down side of all that fun in the sea means a bath for Nacho which he hates, and it takes up about 20 minutes of splashing around in the bathtub to get him washed and then dried.



We've told Margaret and Archie we are running a bit late (really not like us at all haha) and to get us at our wee Monday night local the Astro bar for a pint. When we arrive half an hour later they are standing outside looking a little miffed as they hadn't realised we meant to just go in for a drink and that's why we didn't rush. A cold pint and glass of wine soon puts things right. We take them along the road to a restaurant called Rhein for dinner, one of our must go to places when we have visitors as the food is hearty and the portions are huge, and it is super cheap too. No one is disappointed and Margaret says it is the best lasagne she has ever had. We finish off the night with a few super strong cocktails in bar 8 and then a night cap (well, a few) back at their hotel.



A not so early morning for us the next day as we catch up on our sleep, so we pick Greg's mum and dad up at 12 (well, just about!). We've decided to explore Pollensa today as we have yet to go and everyone is always saying how lovely it is. I've even managed to google a free car park on the edge of town which should make Greg happy. But first we stop off at the Mallorca outlet mall on the way as Archie has spotted some cheap timberland boots that Greg bought there a few weeks ago. He's lucky he has a slightly smaller than average shoe size so can take his pick of boots which he does. We decide to stop for a coffee at a nearby cafe but in good old typical spanish style we are ignored for about 5 minutes. I wave at the waitress and she holds up a hand to say give me a minute, but another 5 minutes go by without any sign of her so we get up and leave. So instead we head to McDonalds where at least we know we won't have to wait long. In the end i get ice-cream with a shot of coffee and it is exactly what i need to cool me down on such a hot day.



The drive on to Pollensa is a doddle and we find the car park (which is completely empty) without any trouble. We walk into Pollensa town centre which is only about ten minutes away, and spot several free car spaces along the way, doh! It's about lunchtime by now so we head to the main square to find somewhere to eat, which is always a challenge (if you have read any of my other travel posts, you will know Greg likes to suss out the cheapest place to eat and feel like he has gotten a bargain). We check a few menus and they don't get the Greg seal of approval so he goes wandering in the backstreets to try and find something cheaper. I spot a place doing little plates of tapas for 3 euros each so call Greg back as I know this will pique his interest and it does. It turns out they do a tasting platter of 4 tapas dishes for 10 euros so we choose that along with a portion of panboli as we have yet to try this popular Mallorquin speciality. The panboli is huge and has a sourdough type bread which has been topped with tomato, cheese and proscuitto ham. Its absolutely delicious and I am pretty happy to wash it down with a gluten free beer. Its nice to sit and relax in the mid-afternoon sun in the pretty plaza and watch people go by, although there is no breeze at all and therefore we are all slowly melting even in the shade. Once we feel suitably refueled and reinvigorated, we head up to the Calvari steps which is one of the things recommended to do in the town centre of Pollensa..However, the only down side is it is 365 steps from bottom to top.The 365 steps are representative of each day of the year, and is flanked by fourteen three-metre-high crosses, evoking the ordeal that, according to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ suffered on the way to his crucifixion on Mount Golgotha.The last time we took Greg's mum and dad up a steep flight of stairs in China it almost wiped them out, so we make sure they are up for it before embarking. Unfortunately Margaret's asthma gets the better of her so she stops to have a wander around a few of the shops near the bottom, whilst the three of us keep going. Its a gruelling climb and my legs and bum are not liking me right now but the view from the top makes up for it. Back down again we decide to stop off in Puerto Pollensa and do the walk along the sea front, which is littered with pines and therefore quite often referred to as the pine walk. Parking here isn't quite so easy and we have to do a few loops before we eventually find a space quite far back. As we are walking along the pavement towards the promenade, a little girl walks by and Margaret jumps back in horror as she realises the girl has picked her nose and then wiped it on Margaret's dress! The parents barely mumble an apology and we are all a bit gobsmacked to say the least. The promenade is packed full of shops and restaurants and is very pretty. It reminds us of a lot of spanish promenades we have visited in the past, so after a short walk along, we decide to head back and get home for the dog as time is ticking on.



In the evening we decide to take them to another one of our favourite restaurants called Paco's. It does a very reasonable set menu for 9.99 (although they bump this up to 11.50 in the summer but it is still a very reasonable price). Archie and I have the steak for dinner and it is very tender and good quality for the price. Afterwards we wander down to McTavishes so that Greg's dad can have a look at all the old Scottish football shirts adorning the walls and ceiling. It is completely chokka inside so we head back to Margaret and Archie's little hotel to have another nightcap or two...



On our last full day with the in-laws, we take them to Blackbeards in Magaluf for lunch (yet again creatures of habit) and then onto a place called la granja in Esporles. Its a very old traditional manor house that dates back to the 15^th century and at one point was run by monks. It is completely self sufficient and they used to make everything here from clothes and shoes, wicker baskets and pottery to medicine and perfumes. They even made their own olive oil and wine and I am excited that a free wine sample is part of the entry price. Once again we chance free entry by showing our work passes and he lets us in for free which is a bonus. Margaret and Archie however have to pay full whack as there isn't even a discount for pensioners. We wander around in the oppresive heat and take in the huge expanse of house and land. One room in particular is super creepy as it is the old nursery and they have a puppet doll hanging from the ceiling which has two faces and seems to be rotating around and around on its own whilst some eery jack in the box music plays in the background. We move on swiftly and end up in the large courtyard. On my map this says it is where the free wine samples are but I cannot see anything. Then I spot a door and say to Archie it must be behind there but it is closed. He walks behind the door and laughs as it is actually just the back of the main door leading into the courtyard and not another room at all. I turn around to see some barrels on the ground with taps attached to them and figure this is our free wine samples which you just pour yourself. But the barrels look like they haven't been topped up for some time and the only one with anything left in it is a sweet moscatel which is surrounded by wasps. Not exactly enticing. En route to the exit there is a little shop selling some traditional mallorquin goodies and they have a few samples to try as well. This includes cheese, jams and buneulos (the little potato doughnuts).




Back home we spend some time with the dog again and then head out to Fat Sams for dinner, which is a replica of an american style dinner. Once again there is absolutely no air at all and we have chosen the table nearest to the kitchen so we are all sweltering and sweating as we eat our very big, juicy burgers. I feel we are symbolising the American dream right here.Time has once again flown and before we can blink it is time for Margaret and Archie to fly home again.

---