So, at 10:30 the first day in Mallorca, we rolled into Vines with our wine glasses to return. About 5 minutes later, Richard and Siobhan arrived and announced they’d just woken up about 20 minutes prior! HA! So, we grabbed a seat so they could chug a cup of coffee first like proper, civilized people do. And then, we were off!
We took the cruise sponsored bus ride to city center. It was about 10 euro each round trip. And by about I mean that’s exactly what it was. Siobhan is a fast walker and a fast payer and darn if she didn’t buy our tickets before we had even gotten to the ticket table! So nice.
We sat in the back seats of the bus, like the cool kids do. A short ride later, we were dropped aside the marina which was chock full of gorgeous boats of all sizes. Richard had been here many, many years before and told us that in season, this town is awash with tourists and the restaurants and bars are hopping. For this day, though, it was pretty quiet and we were all just fine with that!
We started walking towards the awesome palace and cathedral. We had quite a bit of stairs to walk to get up to them both. Richard had two knee replacements so he was a trooper for that walk, but I’m sure that was a tough climb!! Unlike the US, where there always seem to be accommodation routes or possibilities, here, you could take the stairs or you could just look from below. This is not me thinking the US is better. While I appreciate accommodating disabilities, of course, I also appreciate leaving places untouched, if you will.
Anyway, while we were taking pictures, Richard wandered off and next thing you know, here he comes riding up in a horse drawn carriage! He talked the driver into giving us an hour tour of the city and he picked up the tab. Man! These guys were so generous.
So, we were off on a carriage ride through the cutest, oldest, charming little Spanish city- complete with tiny alleys, cobblestones, twisty windy side streets and even a bustling modern city center somewhere in there for good measure. What a delightful treat. Our driver would periodically stop to point something out to us. We all just loved it. This little island is floating off shore of mainland Spain and is apparently quite the tourist spot for Europeans, especially Germans for some reason. While I was cloudy again, I appreciated the cooler temps. I would have liked a peak of sunshine to see the city and the sea in all its colors, but maybe another time.
After, we were ready to eat! We found this perfect little cafe and we sat for hours enjoying delicious food and 3 bottles of wine! I hate to brag, but I’m killing this European thing. Nailed it! We had great conversations with them- laughing our heads off and getting to know each other. I always love this part of life but after 2 years of COVID, it’s pretty freakin’ great.
After our very European lunch, we were ready to meander back to the ship and have a siesta. We briefly considered staying out longer but since we had 2 days in Mallorca, we headed on back. I mean, we don’t want to be rushed or busy. We’re trying to relax here!!!
Later, we all ran into each other in Vines again and made plans to have one final dinner together the next night. Man! We are so bummed they are getting off the ship this soon. We popped into the show that night before bed because the entertainer is a popular British tv actor and broadway star. I enjoyed the music!
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