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Published: January 25th 2011
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19.1.2011 - Majorca
Parade of the Giants for the celebraton of Saint Sebastian Monday 17th January to 23rd January 2011
Monday 17th January 2011
Barcelona airport.
At 5am got Tom & Megan up and went for a coffee. Onto plane and took off at 7am to Palma on Marjorca Island. Taxi to hotel and check in. We had breakfast and then went to sleep for a few more hours. Megan too tired so she stayed in bed.
Tom and I went off into town to tourist information office and had a look around and then back to hotel. Megan was up so we went to a nice restaurant called Meson Ca’n Pedro II – about ½ hour bus ride away –good food and quite busy even though it was a Monday night.
Caught a taxi back to the hotel.
Tuesday 18th January 2011.
We had found out from the hotel office, that on Wednesday night there was to be a huge celebration for Saint Sebastian, their patron saint. We tried to change our flight from Wednesday night to Thursday night, but no luck.
So off at 10.30am on the local bus, a 1.5 hour trip to Porto Cristo on the other side of the island. We went specifically to see the Caves
19.1.2011 - Majorca
Informative beach towel !!! of Drach. They have a huge lake inside the caves – The Martel Lake, one of the largest underground lakes in the world. Absolutely magnificent. They take you on a tour of the caves, then you sit. They turn out the lights and then you watch as two boats, soft lighting around the edge of the boats, come gliding along. In the first boat, there is a person playing an organ as well as a violinist, and in the 2nd boat another violinist. It was a beautiful recital. There was seating for hundreds of people – we are glad we were not there in high season. After that finished, we hopped into other boats and glided to the next stop, viewing the ceiling and the other side of the caves. The water was crystal clear so much so that Gaye thought that there were rocks in it and we did to but they turned out to be reflections WOW.
The bus back to Palma was not due for another hour, so we walked around the area to the cliff and looked at the beach and had a look around.
Back at Palma we went to Vodafone to sort out the
dongal connection – that took some doing – even the girl there had trouble – so we would have had no hope at all.
Walked around town, looking at the very pretty lights up all over the old part of the city, and found an Italian restaurant. In we go – just in time as they were about to close. Lucky for us – it was delicious food. Walked to bus stop and back to hotel.
Wednesday 19th January 2011.
Up late and off to town. We walked down to the waterfront and into the Cathedral of Majorca. Gaudi became involved with the Cathedral and lived in Majorca from 1904 to 1914 working on this project. Very different and spectacular.
We then hopped onto a local bus and went to the beach area – Palma Beach. Tom thought we were going to a fish market area. Actually the beach area was 6km long, fronted by restaurants, shops, cafes and high rise hotels etc. Most of the hotels were boarded up for the winter season.
There were a few pro cycling teams riding along, as they come to Spain to train before the season starts up.
We went into a
restaurant for a late lunch and Tom talked to 4 guys, from a level 3 team, about what he wanted to do. One said they needed a mechanic so Tom gave him our business card and will send email as follow up.
Back into Palma on bus – 6pm and walked around looking at the preparations for the evening.
We got to see the start of a parade – the Parade of the Giants – and would have liked to have stayed, but it would have cost another €300, so no go.
Back to hotel to collect luggage, said goodbye to girls at reception and taxi to airport. Flew out at 10pm and landed at 11pm. Bus to Barcelona centre and taxi back to campsite by 1am.
Thursday 20th January 2011.
Slept in and then went into town to see the Temple of the Sagrada Familia. This is mind blowing. It is the most fantastic building internally we have ever seen.
In 1882 the foundation stone was laid by the first architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. A year and a half later Gaudi took over the work and turned the initial project around to create, over forty-three years
an innovative church which is still being built today according to his models. The construction is well past half way stage and I will certainly be coming back to check out the progress. Gaudi uses nature as his inspiration for his designs and they are expressed in all aspects of the church. The columns are based on tree trunks and then there are branches for smaller columns radiating out and the domes made to look like yellow daisies, as the land was covered by these before they started to build it.
We went to the museum which was underneath the church. It is a museum of all the models made for the construction, the drawing plans and so much more. It was fascinating to see the video they had produced to show this. We bought a book on the cathedral and a video of its construction to date.
Then into a bar for a tapas dinner and drinks. Great food. The staff at the cathedral told us to go there. Now it is even better as smoking is not allowed in the bars as from 1.1.2011.
Back home to relax.
Friday 21st January 2011.
Tom on trainer for 2
hours and got ready to head off, but stopped to chat to Sally and Don – so long that the office had shut for lunch, but the smell of money worked so they opened office so we could pay €375 – was way too much money for what we got in comparison to other campsites that we have stayed at.
So off we head to the Joncar campsite at Roses – a lovely site, right near the beach, a promenade to walk along. It is a fishing village. There was a strong northerly wind blowing which meant about 3.5o less wind chill factor so about minus 8 degrees, poor Megs and Gaye – they really don’t like the cold.
(This diary is being written on Tuesday 24th, and the creek and water on the concrete in the shade has frozen and stayed like that.)
We set up the van and Tom went to Pharmacy to buy more reading glasses as he had lost the other ones AGAIN. No LOL by Gaye - can’t write what she said.
Saturday 22nd January 2011.
We walked into town in the late morning to the tourist information with as much clothing as we
20.1.2011 - Barcelona
Sagrada Familia - columns, secondary columns and ceiling could put on, as the wind was really blowing.
Went to The Citadel and had walked around for about 2 hours. About 17 hectares in size – a fortress and village. They are rebuilding it and its enclosures.
Sunday 23rd January 2011.
At 10.30am we are on the bus to Cadaques. We were told by several people to go there and have a look for the day. Lovely quaint all white village. Had the worst coffee and croissants we have ever had anywhere in the world.
Walked over to Port Lligat where the Salvidor Dali House-Museum is – Tom could live there – magic place on the waters’ edge. The museum was closed for the winter break which was a shame. This is where Dali spent long periods in his childhood and youth.
Then we walked back via the coastal track – absolutely amazing – Megan was in raptures over the sight of it.
Time for lunch – found a bar/café and had tapas.
Walked around town and then found a place for our desserts – great coffee and great pastries.
Back onto bus at 5.30pm to Cadaques.
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