Let’s take a stroll around Palma ciudad. I’ll be your tour guide. Here we have:

Café culture is similar to what I’ve seen in other parts of Spain

One final shot with the cathedral, as seen from the top of the modern art museum

These are some of the highlights that the city has to offer! I encourage you to explore on your own, as well, ,as some of the most memorable experiences come from wandering around Palma’s twisty little streets.

I hesitated the first time I stood outside of the bathroom: when faced with Bany Homes vs. Bany Dones, which door would you walk through?

Thank goodness for those boxy visuals! Yes–Bany Homes is for men, and Bany Dones is for women.

I didn’t have the same luck with my following encounter with Majorcan:

I knew that the first part of the sign was saying “WARNING!” but I had no idea about the second word. I steered clear of this path and later consulted a dictionary as to what “abelles” might mean. Let’s see if you can pick out the meaning:

a) Warning! Landminesb) Warning! Flesh-eating slugsc) Warning! Beesd) Warning! Lost tourist

Got your guess? It refers to–drumroll–letter C, “Warning! Bees!”

2) Serve Pa amb tomàquet–bread with tomato–in the wee hours of the morn’.

Along with cereal and those circular digestive cookies adored by both Spaniards and Italians, this is what’s on the menu every day for breakfast. It’s especially popular with those adult-children who always dreamed of pizza for breakfast. I got in an argument with one of the Chelsea FC coaches over the pronunciation of “tomato,” but you can avoid all that by just calling a tomato tomàquet.

3) Take the roundabouts

Speaking of circular things, Mallorcans also like love their roundabouts. If you, too, are a fan of making each car trip duplicate an amusement park ride, then tuck that international DL into your passport case and start doing loop-de-loops. One of the English teachers swears that roundabouts call for sound effects, but I’ve experienced the radio-playing-in-the-background tranquilo lap ’round the roundabout, as well. Whichever way you get around, there are plenty of art-filled circular spaces in Mallorca to keep your passengers seeing cross-eyed for days.

And another example, just to get the point across:

4) Buy bottled water

The main item on my grocery store list? Water. I had noticed on arrival that the tap water has thick, slightly sweet taste. I also noticed that the water they serve in the cafeteria comes from packaged water jugs. The camp director strongly recommended we buy bottled water. Someone else mentioned that supposedly the local water is behind many locals coming down with kidney stones. The last and final reason why I believe most locals buy bottled water and why I will follow suit this July: the superstore had and ENTIRE room labeled ”AGUA” that was as big as my neighborhood grocery store in Madrid. There were water from different sources, huge jugs to tiny bottles–in other words, the most water I had ever seen in once place since my view of the ocean in downtown Palma.

Thus concludes today’s cultural lesson. If you haven’t been left with ganas to visit the island, then I haven’t done my job.

Palma’s Plaça Major

Palma takes on a magical glow whenever the sky fades and the street lamps flash on. A stroll at dusk is a must for anyone who loves this witching hour of brilliant blues and soft yellows. I happily wandered around shooting the following night shots:

A statue to Jaime I in Plaça d’Espanya

If you ever find yourself in Palma de Mallorca, you better take a stroll at night. Bonus points for sitting terrace-side. 

If you have the chance, travel to the Majorcan valley town of Valldemossa. It’s a gorgeous village encircled by sloping hills that you can hike around if you wish. When I visited mid-July, a festival was in full-swing. Check out this pretty little place!

Another great place to visit is Deià, a small town on the eastern side of Mallorca. The day that I arrived, the mist that wrapped around the mountains gave the day an extra-magical touch. The sloping, green landscape was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Below the village were plenty of coves for swimming, but unfortunately we didn’t have time for a dip as we were caught in a rainstorm! I’d love to go back to Deià–check out these photos to see why:

  Have I motivated you to visit Deià yet? Let me know if you go!

Cala Comptessa.

While my Mallorca experience amounts to several weeks on the island, I don’t know much about the beaches. Ask me about a terraza in town to lazily lay across, caña in hand, and I can whip out six suggestions on the spot. However, because I’m here to work, you’re more likely to catch me sunning in the light from my computer screen than on sandy shores. Enter the coworkers, who have time to catch a bus to the beach if they finish early for the day. I picked their brains for advice on where to go on my one official day off of the week, and a little beach called Illetes was it.

Platja Illetes – a bit more commercial

Back to Comptessa

Andres and I caught the number three bus to the end of its journey. From here we had the option of either going to a stretch of beach called Illetes, or Comptessa Cove. After scooping out both, we chose the latter. As opposed to the commercial beach on the other side of us, Comptessa had a more natural feel, as it was buried halfway in woods. From our lookout above the treetops, we could peer down at swimmers in the startlingly clear water below. We didn’t have to choose between mountains or the beach; we were able to take in sand and surf as we tried our best to avoid sticking our feet with pine needles. After going for a swim, we moved to a rocky part of the beach (which deterred most visitors) and watched boats sail near the cove.

Of the handful of times I went to the beach this July, this was certainly my favorite. The beach was quiet, the sun was glorious, and the  company was top-notch. With someone from my Madrid life visiting in Palma, it was the first time I’d been able to disconnect from my work, as well. Even before we left the beach, I knew that this idyllic day at the cove be the highlight of my July.

Ten staffers, two cars, two destination: the Mirador (scenic viewpoint) of Formentor and a neighboring beach. To celebrate the end of our first fortnight at camp, we wrapped our way around  roundabouts  and within a few hours were climbing up the rock surface of this mountain to snap the following views:

After waiting for the hordes of tourists to fall away, we get our group shot. Now on to…Cala San Vicenç.

Post-Formentor, we washed up on the beach at Cala San Vicenç. We spent a day under the sun (hint: bring a beach umbrella if you can), then, sans sunburns, returned back to the residence to rid our hair and swimsuits of sandy souvenirs.

Coupled with the Mirador de Formentor, Cala San Vicenç made a perfect day-trip from Palma!

Here are a smattering of photos that I took during an excursion to the port town of Sóller and Sa Calobra. Sóller is a port town and from there you can leave to the gorgeous cover of Sa Calobra.

10 a.m. in the town of Sóller

From here we caught a boat from this dock to reach the beach of Sa Calobra

At first, the water was an intense blue

Hauling anchor in Sa Calobra

The tiny port is circled by souvenir shops and restaurants with a view

Picnicing on the beach–bring an umbrella if you can!

A parting shot of that turquoise water

Although we arrived to Sa Calobra via ferry, I went back to Palma by car. That ride yielded the most spectacular views–and experiences! I found myself clinging to a locked door handle as the white-hot vehicle spun around curve after mountain curve.

At times there was barely enough room for two cars to pass each other

The driver was kind enough to stop the car at several points so that I could snap these shots

It was at this spot that I heard bells which led me to discover goats roaming the hill

This dam was recently built, I’m told

I felt that I saw half of the island on the trip from Sa Calobra to Palma

The landscape, which we saw through the windows of this white van, changed drastically as we traversed the hills

Now that you know we (and the goats) made it out in one piece, I can tell you that the driver had never been on this road–let alone the island–before. Cue a major sigh of relief to reflect the one that I had once we reached the bottom of this mountainous stretch. That being said, if you have the chance to drive from Palma to Sa Calobra (or vice versa), know that the surrounding landscapes are spectacular!

This post is dedicated to Carrer d’Apuntadors, a street that is very near the Paseo Maritimo on Palma Bay. While you can take a pleasant stroll there any time of day, I recommend swinging by at night to get the full effect of the bustling area.

Carrer d’Apuntadors at night

Carrer d’Apuntadors is a street that, while calm and quiet during the day, becomes a hoppin’ area once night falls. Packed with bars, restaurants, and hotels, it’s an area of town near the water that I’d recommend for any Palma visitor.

Hostal Ritzi, our cozy accomodations on Carrer d’Apuntadors

We stayed in a hotel on the street and loved its central location. We were spoiled for dining choices, and simply had to wander down this single street to decide where we wanted to eat.

Carrer d’Apuntadors by dayAn early-morning view from the hostal balconyHave you ever become enamored of one street while traveling?