Bona Sort (and sometimes not) in Palma de Mallorca

(Friday and Saturday.)

While planning my trip I decided to book an excursion for myself on Sunday so that I could see some other parts of the island. Without wheels of my own (hey, I can only bike so far) I knew a tour bus would be the next best option.

To be honest, the excursion was a little lame and disappointing in my opinion. I don't regret going because it was nice to have a day off from making all the decisions and I enjoyed making some new friends, but I wouldn't recommend the tour to anyone else. The excursion was advertised as a trip to the Cuevas del Drach, the seaside town of Porte Cristo (opposite side of the island from Palma) and a stop at a pearl factory. Well, the pearl factory was actually just a giant sales floor where they tried to sell us all pearls and we only stopped in Porte Cristo for a drizzly and cold twenty minutes. I admit the weather wasn't working in the day's favor, but still. I also think my disappointment in the caves stems from the fact that I had the luck to go to the most incredible caves in Slovenia back in October of 2008 and so nothing could measure up. But still the cave trip ended up being nothing more than a brief walk through five or six cave rooms and then a ten minute classical concert. The concert was actually really cool as it was conducted on boats on the underground lake, but I thought I saw it advertised as being longer and so I felt cheated when it was over after two songs.

Ok, enough negativity! I just wanted to report honestly on my thoughts. But, like I said, it wasn't a total waste and it was nice to see some more of the island as we drove across it.

Once I got back I really took advantage of the remaining Sunday hours and had a really great time! First I headed to my favorite look out spot up by the Cathedral again and took a few photos--you know this is my attempt to be "artsy".

Next I went down to the water for a few more sunset shots. When I saw a few, I mean I took like thirty photos. Don't worry, just one here.

Once I felt satisfied that I had taken advantage of the remaining daylight, I walked over to El Basaurd modern art museum. The hostel receptionist advised me that this Sunday only it would be free entrance until it closed at 8pm. Score! I ended up taking about an hour to get there because the markets were now in full swing (Sunday was the main celebration/party day) and I couldn't pass up all the fun.

I really loved the art at El Basaurd. Sometimes I'm so-so on modern art but they had a good collection. And they had an open roof deck with great views!




{The markets going on in one of the plazas down below.}

I left right before closing and spent the next few hours totally content to stop at each tent in the market. There were tents to represent each region’s culture with pinchos of wine or little tapas you could buy for cheap. Other tents sold traditional Mallorcan food or products. This night was so much fun as I went around just sampling cheese at every tent I passed and buying little bits of tapas here and there. I decided after my third sample that I should forget about making dinner plans and just do this for dinner. I definitely have my moments of brilliance. I got to taste a very typical Mallorcan food, Sombrasada, a type of sausage spread that goes on bread as well as many other tasty dishes. I even felt like I was eating for a good cause when I found a tent that was selling their tapas/wine with the proceeds going to Alzheimer's Disease (a cause near and dear to my heart.)

If you're guessing at this point that I finished off my day at a cafe, then you'd be right. What can I say, I like a low-key end to my days. This night as I sat out with my journal I was approached by an elderly Spanish man who wanted to ask me if I recognized a quote he had written out on a piece of paper. I admitted that I understood it (as in, I could literally translate it) but that I didn't know it. He proceeded to tell me all about the poet and write down book recommendations. In parting he told me that he saw me consumed in my writing with my book and glass of wine next to me and that I made such a "buen imagen" (good picture). Don't worry, it wasn't creepy, just kind of cool. Remember how I said I used to panic about what people would think about me if they saw me alone? It kind of made my day to hear that someone thought I made a good picture, especially when I was busy enjoying my writing and wasn't preoccupied wondering what I looked like to others.

Always best to just be yourself right?

Monday I had all morning to do some last minute things. I grabbed a croissant and tea before heading off. I planned to go to another art museum in town but would you believe I could never find it! And I am good with maps! I walked the block where it should be, according to my map, about twenty times and came at it from different angles and streets, but I swear there was no museum there. No matter how I consulted my map I knew that I was in the spot I should be. Oh well!

I took in one more museum, one of religious artifacts from the area, and then went back to the hostel to grab my bags and catch the bus to the airport.

I guess that's about it! I hope you enjoyed hearing about my trip and catching glimpses of it. I'm so glad I could share my experiences here.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." - Mark Twain

*Bona Sort= Good Luck in Catalan.