May 15 – 18

Leaving the area near the harbor we began walking back uphill towards the apartment, having finished the tour.  We wandered around awhile until we stopped in at a small, but interesting site, the Arab Baths, one of the few remaining traces of Mallorca’s Islamic history.  Thought to date back to the 10th century, they were once part of a larger palace or private residence.  The main room, known as the Caldarium, is the highlight—square-shaped, with a domed ceiling resting on twelve columns, all different in style.

These columns were likely salvaged from older Roman or Islamic buildings, giving the space a raw, historic charm.  The floor was heated using an ancient system where hot air flowed underneath, filling the room with warmth and steam.  Next to it, there’s another space that might have been the Tepidarium, a warm room in a Roman bath, used for more moderate baths.  It’s a small place to visit, but well worth the 4 euros it cost each of us. 

We continued our somewhat aimless walking around, ending up back down near the harbor before ascending again, stopping to grab an iced coffee before returning to the apartment for some downtime before dinner.  Our destination for the evening would be Fervor, a bustling spot a quick walk away from the apartment.  Seated we started with a bottle of Mucho Mas Rose and a mixed basket of warm rolls, before enjoying an order of Croquetas de Jamon Iberico (Iberian ham croquettes)

For our entrée we split a Paella Mixta Ciega (Mixed Paella – meat and seafood without bones) which was delightful and filling.  But not enough to deter us from ordering two desserts, a Flan de Dulce de Leche (Flan caramel) and a Crema Catalana de Ensaimada y Baileys (Catalan cream of ensaimada and Baileys).  I would complement them with a glass of Jerez Seco (dry sherry).  A very, very nice with a friendly and efficient waiter that set the three of us back 132.90 Euros ($151), another reasonably priced meal including that bottle of wine. 

Our next day would be a full one as we’d booked the Mallorca: Island Trip by Train, Tramway, and Boat tour through Get Your Guide, at 64 Euros ($71) apiece, a relative bargain for how long the it would last.  We’d start with walking back up to Plaza de Espana where it took us quite some time to find the ticket counter for our tour as it was not located in the Estacion Intermodal or anywhere immediately adjacent to it.  We finally located the counter and soon boarded, late in this case due to our wandering around, on the 1912 inaugurated wooden train that would take us to the city of Sóller.

This part of the trip took about an hour as we rode through valleys and then ascended and descended high passes on the way to town.  Arriving, we followed our crowd out of the station, but before boarding the street ar to the port we stopped at a nearby shop for a much-needed ice cream break.  We then boarded the next streetcar for a slow ride through the city center down to the port.

We soon embarked on a good-sized ship to the port of Sa Calobra and while cruising we remarked at the large number of bicyclists on board which didn’t surprise us as Mallorca is a popular destination for cyclists.  Upon arriving at the port, we prepared to spend about 4 hours before returning to Soller and then on to Palma. 

It was a steep climb out of the sheltered cove of the port and so Francois and I opted to remain behind while Joanna did a walk about.  This would take her through a narrow tunnel known as the Túnel de Sa Calobra to one of two secluded beaches, this one being Torrent de Pareis, a larger beach about 300 yards long.

With time to kill and knowing we’d be getting back to Palma late, we ate at Self Mar Azul, one of the couple of restaurants there at the port.  It was a cafeteria style place, and I selected a plate of Pasta Bolognese while Joanna took a chance on a plate of fish, chips, and green beans.  Not the most memorable meal of the trip, but one that would see us through the rest of the day. 

Our return to the apartment was the reverse of our outbound journey and once back there we enjoyed a libation or two before getting a good night’s sleep to prepare for our last day in town.  While Francois would be taking in the Museu de Mallorca, Joanna and engaged a couple of rental bikes from Palma on Bike for 38 Euros ($42) and took off on the bike path that circles the bay. 

Staying on the path we rode south for about an hour, dodging other users on this well populated route while dealing with a not so well-maintained bike, as the left side pedal kept hitting a drooping kickstand.  These minor problems aside it was nice to be out and turning around to return, we stopped at Café D’Es Xorri a beach side café for a snack.  Along with a drink apiece, we would each order that typical Spanish breakfast item, toast with butter and jam.  It was enough to get us back to the shop where we turned in our bikes and walked up the hill to meet up with Francois. 

On the way back to the apartment, we stopped at Cappuccino Grand Café for a drink and a snack.  I ordered a beer while Joanna enjoyed a refreshing cocktail and then feeling a bit peckish, we demolished a slice of Gato Mallorquin con Helado de Almendra (Mallorcan almond sponge cake with almond ice cream) along with a coffee con leche apiece. 

Later that evening we went for dinner at Arlequin Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, a unique circus themed dining experience, one intended to entertain jaded tourists no doubt but that we found beguiling and surprisingly good.  We started with drinks, of course, and this is where the premise is realized, crazy cocktail concoctions served in highly stylized containers.  For me it was a Release the Kraken and for Joanna, the Frozen Cannonball.  For the life of me I can’t recall what the ingredients were, and they are not listed in the current menu, but they were good.  We’d also consume two glasses of Baluarte Ribera del Duero,a fine example of a Tempranillo and a bottle of Alhambra 1925, a 5% lager I would consume a bunch of later in the trip. 

For food we hit a bunch of the entrees, running through the Chicken Fingers Roulette with sauces, Pulled Pork Taco with Jalapeno Cream & Tequila Pineapple, Mini Smash Burger Duo in Big Mac Style, Crunchy Prawns with Special Tangerine Sauce and Cauliflower Popcorn.  The food was universally good and very filling, so much so that we didn’t order any dessert.  Our tab came to 99.50 Euros ($112), about what Joanna and I now spend for just the two of us at a happy hour here in the States. 

This would finish our time in Mallorca, with Francois departing for Montpellier and home the next morning and Joanna and flying to Barcelona and then taking a bus to Girona to finish up the last week or so of our trip.  Truly, there is nothing better than spending time with Francois, this friend of mine since 1979 and we look forward to many more with him, and course with Bev.  Stay tuned for Girona and our bike tour to the coast. 

Links

Arab Baths: https://www.seemallorca.com/sights/religious/banys-arabs-arab-baths

Fervor: https://grupocardon.com/restaurantes/fervor/

Mallorca: Island Trip: https://www.getyourguide.com/mallorca-l47/mallorca-island-trip-by-train-tramway-and-boat-t467117/

Palma on Bike: https://www.palmaonbike.com/

Café D’Es Xorri: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187463-d4971553-Reviews-Bar_Xorri-Palma_de_Mallorca_Majorca_Balearic_Islands.html

Cappuccino Grand Café: https://www.cappuccinograndcafe.es/

Arlequin: https://arlequingroup.es/