Also unexpected - Boomerangs!
We arrived to our resort in the evening and enjoyed a mega feast buffet dinner but the tale does not begin here. It truly starts the following day when we strolled along the beach promenade exposed to the bright sun, crashing waves, and high winds blasting sand. Suitably chaffed we quickly found ourselves on a bus heading towards Palma, the capital of the island. I gazed over the glittering blue of the Mediterranean and in all fairness was quite stunning, but to only to those like me who were unaware of what was fast approaching. Rather lazily I swung my eyes over to my right, in near perfect time.
Basilica. Too large to fit in a close up and too small at a distance.
I choked down words best not said in front of 18 month old toddlers as the Basílica de Santa Maria rose into view. I travelled through Asia and Europe. I have seen the majestic constructions of China, Mongolia, and the USSR. But none have compared to this. Fronted by a manmade lake and perfect rows of trees the building appeared made to inspire awe in visitors. If nothing else, our trip had been worth it.
The moutain village of Valdemossa!
I am not sure Jessie appreciated it though.
The rest of the day was spent in Palma; walking the city, visiting gardens, and exploring some of the streets. It is a city that has a rich cultural history, much like Malta, in that it has been occupied by the Romans, the Arabs, and the Christians. Vast aspects torn down and rebuilt, with the Basilica being a mainstay. Built as a mosque, consecrated as a Cathedral, and extended as a palace.
The tram from Soller to Port De Soller
Thus far, Jessie seemed rather confused by the trip, but it was this evening that she truly realised it was going to be a special time, when upon returning to our hotel we found a nice rather empty pizzeria. There was one other family I there so it appeared family friendly By the time our dinner had arrived, it was packed to the rafters with families, all of them bringing more and more kids in tow. Suddenly, Jessie was surrounded by toys, kids, and sparkly dance shoes. It was hard to get her home again.
Palma (and Baiky)
As our plane's eye view suggested, Mallorca was more than just a beach and city. So we jumped in old school trains and regular buses to explore everything else the island had to offer. We spent a couple of days exploring mountain villages Valdemossa and Soller as well as a lunch at Port De Soller all offering stunning views amongst architecture that buildings that were 100s of years old.
Port De Soller
While I am sure Jessie appreciated these quaint villages she clearly enjoyed the in between times more: roaming free in parks, play gyms, on beach promenades, and took her swimming where she learnt the joys of ra ra running, climbing, swimming, and screaming weeeee as she plummeted down various slides.
On the train to Soller
While we tend to classify places based on scenery, Jessie's was more based on playtime. We found spaces for running along beach promanades at C'an Pastilla, Palma Nova, and Magaluf; other kids to play with in Palma and C'an Pastilla; but the real excitement were slides at the play gyms dotted all over, particularly in Alcúdia.
An entrance into the Alcúdia Old Town
Alcúdia is a historical old town on the north east side of the island nestled between two bays. It's old town is stunning; preserved and completely walled. It's winged by old Roman ruins (which, while very nice is just not quite the same after a visit to Pompeii) and if my memory serves me well was the old Roman Capital. Here Jessie grew to new independence as she climbed stairs with confidence and threw herself down slides all on her own. We ended the afternoon with ice cream.on the beach at Port De Alcúdia.
Inside the walls of Alcúdia
A trip to Mallorca can't be complete without a visit to Bellver Castle. It builds a commanding position above Palma, but is unique in that is circular. Designed with the mathematical theory of squaring the circle (an ancient mathematical problem that was now been disproven as impossible) it offers outstanding views of the mountains and the Bay of Palma, a museum tracing the history development of the Island, and the life story of Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos; a political prisoner held in Mallorca and a major contributor during Spain's age of enlightenment.
Inside the Bellver Castle
A week was not enough and we left wanting more, with caves to see, cliffs to visit, and mountain trails to walk. Perhaps Mallorca may see a return of the Jessie?
Valdemossa: the view from the public toilets
