Spain travel blog
After two weeks on the island it is time for us to be leaving Mallorca. The wind has changed from unfavourable to less unfavourable, so we’re grabbing our chance and heading for the mainland. I have really enjoyed my time here, and it has been a great way to start exploring Spain. The highlight of my stay was definitely the chance to head out of the city and spend some time hiking in the bush. We’re going to take advantage…
Back on the Hoof II Unfavourable winds for our passage to the coast of Spain meant another week in Mallorca, so I took the opportunity to get out for second hike in the Tramuntana Mountains. I had read that the ‘Archduke’s Trail’ was well worth a look, so I decided to check it out. The Archduke in question is Luis Salvador; an Austrian bloke who spent a lot of time in Mallorca in the late 1800s. Now Luis was a…
Slings and stones may break my bones Whilst waiting for favourable winds for our onward journey, I thought I would check out the Castillo de San Carlos here in Palma, Majorca. This fort overlooks the capital’s port, and now houses a museum detailing the history of the defence of the city. Back in the olden days, the Ottomans, Barbarians and pirates used to frequently turn up and plunder the city of Palma. The city’s merchants, having had a gutful of…
Now I know this is going to be controversial. And yes yes yes I know I can’t expect pizza in Italy to be the same as pizza in Australia. However I did expect pizza in Italy to be delicious, in an authentic Italian way. I mean, Italian pizza must be delicious, mustn’t it? Otherwise no-one would eat it. And if no-one eats it, why are there pizzerias on every corner? I wasn’t necessarily expecting an Italian pizza to be the…
Back on the hoof Part I I hadn’t done an overnight hike since leaving New Zealand, and a weeks’ stopover in Mallorca seemed like a great opportunity to get out for a walk. I did a little research, and came across the Ruta de Pedra en Sec – ‘The Dry Stone Route’. In the olden days, olden day Mallorcans built a network of cobbled pathways that linked remote communities in the rugged Serra de Tramuntana mountains. Today’s Dry Stone Route…
Shortly after arriving in Mallorca, and despite feeling (and looking) a little rough after our four day passage from Sardinia, we duly fronted up at the marina office with our passports and paperwork. We hadn’t been tested for Corona within the 72 hours prior to our arrival (as stipulated by Spanish regulations), but thankfully were still permitted to enter the country. Our luck was holding. The next day, after a much needed sleep, I was keen to get out and…
After sitting out heavy weather in La Maddalena for a few days, we decided to take the plunge (so to speak) and strike out for Mallorca, Spain. The north coast of Sardinia gets a lot of wind in the winter, and its direction is generally not conducive to heading south-west in a sailboat. If we were to stay in Maddalena waiting for ideal conditions we may still be there when the next pandemic emerges from China. So after much consideration,…