Monday, 17th June - Driving around
Today we both made breakfast! Result! Jean was better, though still not fully recovered. A reasonable night's kip always helps. As does absolutely glorious weather all day.
Breakfast itself was a bit chaotic, as the waitress, although charming, seemed to keep on losing our orders. No matter - we got through it and planned to drive to Soller, a nearby historic town which had been talked up a fair bit, but also was the starting point for a vintage train ride down to Palma.
The usual problem - parking. Really stressful. Two central car parks were absolutely rammed, with cars cruising around looking for spaces. We eventually found a space not too far away, for which we paid and displayed, but must have spent at least half an hour just looking.
Set off into the town centre, stopping on the way for a coffee and comfort break. Came into the main square which sported another bloody great cathedral. We resolved to visit this later, but meanwhile found our way to where the ticket office is for this train. On the way, we stopped at an information point and got some details about where we could park, relatively stress-free, for free. Another result. Plan is to use this train to get down to Palma, have a proper look around, and come back the same way, Wednesday being earmarked for this excursion.
Sauntered back down to the main square to have a very brief look around and go into the cathedral. The latter, in particular, was awe-inspiring.
This actually looks a very interesting place, but we had no time to explore it further.
Back to the car to then drive to another tourist spot - Sa Colobra. I wanted to visit this place principally because the road up from Sa Colobra Bay to Coll des Reis is one of those iconic climbs on a bike and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about (without needing to exert myself actually cycling up it, you understand).
Very intense driving experience. Very twisty and narrow roads, with loads of cyclists and traffic, particularly coaches. Had to stop many times, or wait to get past cyclists. However, I do now get why this road is so revered by cyclists. Challenging, rugged and beautiful.
I should mention that we were descending the climb at this point. Actually, the climb up to the top of the Coll des Reis on the other side of the mountain was equally challenging, rugged and beautiful. This is the only road route down to the bay, but there is a ferry from Port de Soller round the corner into Sa Colobra, and I think you can take your bike on that should you wish to do the climb.
Sa Colobra itself was busy with tourists, and once again parking was a problem. God alone knows what this must be like in the season. One had to negotiate a very narrow entrance to the car park, make a long, long arm to get the ticket and then dance your way around other cars and pedestrians to find a narrow slot.
Managed it, and sauntered down towards the bay itself. It's certainly a pretty spot:
Back up to a cafe where we had a slice of cake and a drink, then time to wend our weary way back to the hotel. Exited the car park on payment of 4.80 € and off we went.
This was another journey which required all my concentration and it took nigh on 2 hours, just because progress was so slow along these mountain roads.
Certainly an interesting day, and I felt I really did deserve those beers when we got back. Jean thought I deserved one of them....
Thence to dinner at the hotel. Jean, for obvious reasons, favoured something reasonably light, and consumed it (so far, at least) with no side-effects. My main was a Galician dry aged steak. Absolutely delicious.
We also decided to try a rosé wine in a different-shaped bottle (we'd seen this being served to a table the previous night). Jean was more interested in the bottle, me in the contents.....
We're still aware that we've actually seen relatively little of this island, which is rather larger than either of us had anticipated. Plan tomorrow is to drive out to Cap Formentor, another famous tourist spot on a peninsula in the north-east of the island. If time allows, then we might also have a look down the east coast where scenery and beaches are promised.
Breakfast itself was a bit chaotic, as the waitress, although charming, seemed to keep on losing our orders. No matter - we got through it and planned to drive to Soller, a nearby historic town which had been talked up a fair bit, but also was the starting point for a vintage train ride down to Palma.
The usual problem - parking. Really stressful. Two central car parks were absolutely rammed, with cars cruising around looking for spaces. We eventually found a space not too far away, for which we paid and displayed, but must have spent at least half an hour just looking.
Set off into the town centre, stopping on the way for a coffee and comfort break. Came into the main square which sported another bloody great cathedral. We resolved to visit this later, but meanwhile found our way to where the ticket office is for this train. On the way, we stopped at an information point and got some details about where we could park, relatively stress-free, for free. Another result. Plan is to use this train to get down to Palma, have a proper look around, and come back the same way, Wednesday being earmarked for this excursion.
Sauntered back down to the main square to have a very brief look around and go into the cathedral. The latter, in particular, was awe-inspiring.
This actually looks a very interesting place, but we had no time to explore it further.
Back to the car to then drive to another tourist spot - Sa Colobra. I wanted to visit this place principally because the road up from Sa Colobra Bay to Coll des Reis is one of those iconic climbs on a bike and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about (without needing to exert myself actually cycling up it, you understand).
Very intense driving experience. Very twisty and narrow roads, with loads of cyclists and traffic, particularly coaches. Had to stop many times, or wait to get past cyclists. However, I do now get why this road is so revered by cyclists. Challenging, rugged and beautiful.
I should mention that we were descending the climb at this point. Actually, the climb up to the top of the Coll des Reis on the other side of the mountain was equally challenging, rugged and beautiful. This is the only road route down to the bay, but there is a ferry from Port de Soller round the corner into Sa Colobra, and I think you can take your bike on that should you wish to do the climb.
Sa Colobra itself was busy with tourists, and once again parking was a problem. God alone knows what this must be like in the season. One had to negotiate a very narrow entrance to the car park, make a long, long arm to get the ticket and then dance your way around other cars and pedestrians to find a narrow slot.
Managed it, and sauntered down towards the bay itself. It's certainly a pretty spot:
 |
| Ferry from Port de Soller (I think) |
Back up to a cafe where we had a slice of cake and a drink, then time to wend our weary way back to the hotel. Exited the car park on payment of 4.80 € and off we went.
This was another journey which required all my concentration and it took nigh on 2 hours, just because progress was so slow along these mountain roads.
Certainly an interesting day, and I felt I really did deserve those beers when we got back. Jean thought I deserved one of them....
Thence to dinner at the hotel. Jean, for obvious reasons, favoured something reasonably light, and consumed it (so far, at least) with no side-effects. My main was a Galician dry aged steak. Absolutely delicious.
We also decided to try a rosé wine in a different-shaped bottle (we'd seen this being served to a table the previous night). Jean was more interested in the bottle, me in the contents.....
We're still aware that we've actually seen relatively little of this island, which is rather larger than either of us had anticipated. Plan tomorrow is to drive out to Cap Formentor, another famous tourist spot on a peninsula in the north-east of the island. If time allows, then we might also have a look down the east coast where scenery and beaches are promised.
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