Just a few steps.... Pollenca, Mallorca

---

---

During our family holiday to Mallorca in August we decided to head away from the main resorts to see a bit of more genuine life on the island. As we were staying nearby we chose to take one of the local bright red and yellow buses (more like luxury coaches) to the town of Pollenҫa.

The town was founded in the 13th century with most of the streets being constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the town’s most famous places is a set of 365 steps leading to a chapel at the top, so this is where we planned to go first.

After departing the bus it was not entirely obvious which direction we needed to head in so we spent a while wandering around the backstreets until we came across a newsagents which I was sent into to ask “Donde esta la iglesia?” Not perhaps the best question to ask upon later realising that the town has, well, a fair few churches above the average. After a bit more wandering and a stop at a bakery to ask again, and pick up a mid morning snack, we eventually found our way to the main square of the town.

The square is, in summer, a lively hub with a large array of small restaurants with tables spilling out into the square, all offering traditional tapas. Despite obviously being aimed at the tourist market the square still felt like what I picture when I think of traditional Spain.

We then made it to the bottom of the steps. A couple of young girls were perched on the doorstep of a traditional townhouse, they said “Hello”, pointed at an assortment of objects they had collected from their bedrooms in order to sell, then promptly vanished amongst nervous giggles at having plucked up the courage to speak to the foreigners.

We made our way up the steps. Yes, we counted them; after all, you wouldn’t want to be mislead by an inaccurate guidebook. After reaching the top, safe in the knowledge that there were, indeed, 365 steps, we had a brief look in the chapel before walking to the nearby viewpoint. The views from here are fantastic. The whole bay and the mountains around it can be seen along with the rural dwellings and towns contained inside them.

We took a different route back into the heart of the town, passing through gorgeous hilltop houses and timeless streets and alleyways (and some of the many churches) until we found ourselves back at the bottom of the steps.

Seeing as there was so much on offer, and it being something Mum and I wanted to do before leaving we set about locating the most appealing tapas restaurant. Surprisingly we found a quite cheap and really friendly restaurant in the main square. There were tables laid outside of the modest and slightly rugged interior and the owner come waiter served us really quickly. And the best thing? He didn’t speak a word of English to us! I ordered in Spanish which was actually a novelty as everywhere else we ate the waiters spoke to us in English. My family (who don’t speak Spanish) hadn’t heard me speak it much before so were impressed despite the extent of what I said being “What juices do you have?” The tapas were delicious and accompanied with a basket of bread and olive oil. We paid inside where there was a traditional bar where local men were sat chatting and drinking after the day’s work. The waiter’s wife who was manning the bar even gave my sister a lolly pop. One of the nicest places I’ve eaten.

We took a gentle stroll back to the bus stop where we waited for the next half hour. A local lady was also waiting for the bus and after I asked, she was happy to have a conversation in Spanish with me. We discussed the best ways of learning languages and particularly how Spain’s approach differs to England’s on this. Personally, I envy Spanish children getting to learn languages from a much earlier age than here. The conversation really made me realise how fantastic it is to be able to speak in another language and communicate with locals and it also installed me with far more confidence to speak off the top of my head on my return to school Spanish lessons.

---