Eat Your Carrots

All The Fun Of The Festa

We were really lucky to be here at festa time. We've seen Maltese festas before and a small one in Greece, but nothing compares to this. It makes us wonder just what the Mardi Gras on Tenerife must be like - even bigger and more frenetic we imagine.
We saw the prancing horses this morning (from a safe vantage point) and tonight went back in for the funfair, singing,and most of all the gastromomic market.

We've never seen anything like it, it put to shame any markets and food festivals that we've been to at home. Unfortunately we had to leave before the 'dancing in the streets' and the fireworks (I can hear them as I write this) as I turn back into a pumpkin at midnight. And besides, wife has to pack ready for our departure (late) tomorrow.

Menorca. Just Like Scotland.

That was a quote from wife the other day. Well actually it was 'take all this and add clouds and rain...' And it's not far from the truth. Forgetting the fact there's no big mountains the scenery is pretty similar. Today we were driving over moors of heather and bilberries and the shores of the calles look just like lochs at times (at other times they don't at all - but we'll allow for that).

Tonight we discovered Calle Corb. At two minutes walk from our 'usual' bar it was a haven of tranquility, terrace bars by the lapping waves, boats bobbing in the harbour. And no people. We sat alone, loving our own company and wondering how the bars survive, until 10.30 came and they suddenly filled up. And the Spanish guitars and singing started up, and wife cried and swore she never wanted to go home again.

Memories are made of this.

Life's A Beach

Another day another beach. Today we were at Son Parc, baked by what Rough Guide would describe as a dreary holiday development. Well one man's dreary development is another man's 'to die for villa' and Son Parc is a very pleasant place. The beach is one of the best (in fact probably THE best) that we've been to for swimming and lazing about. Dipping gradually to just above waist height you can walk about 100m out, at which point you're back at ankle depth. Perfect for weak swimmers and those lacking confidence, as well as for kids, The beach is lovely white sand with a pink tinge to it and complements the turquoise shades of the sea perfectly.
Of course it's not only beaches for us. This morning was spent at La Mola, easily the biggest castle we've ever visited. After 2 hours we gave up any hope of seeing the other 2 thirds of it and headed for the beach while it was still daylight. A wonderful place to visit and another location where you have to ignore what Rough Guide says. Tomorrow no car, but one of those mad 'horses in the street' festivals that they do so well in Spain.

A Navet

I thought i could send more than one picture per mail. I was wrong. This is
a navet, the previous post has a taula (the T shaped stone) and a tayalot (I can never be sure of that spelling).

Talayots, Taulas And Navets

It's been a day of looking at old stuff today. Not run of the mill centuries old stuff, but millennia old stuff. These defensive towers, religious edifices and burial chambers are from 1 to 2 thousand years BC. It's amazing to think how ancient people built such things with such rudimentary tools and skills (I know, it's not exactly the pyramids, but those Egyptians had help from aliens. The Menorcans did this all themselves).

The Call Of The Calles

The coastal scenery here is fabulous and we're so glad we hired a car, or we'd hardly see any of it. I've never seen such white sand and turquoise sea since we were in the Maldives, but here the pine forests behind the beaches add an extra little something.
On the subject of hiring a car - I'm managing OK eventually after a shaky first day. I almost killed a local on the eve of her 105th birthday and within about 30 seconds of me getting in the car.  Since then it's not been so bad. So far we've visited 4 Calles and as many towns. All are wonderful.

My God, We Ate At The Hotel

We surprised ourselves last night - we ate in. We went to dinner 'just for a look' and found not only were there 3 vegetarian mains, but they were all really delicious. Yes, it's buffet style and we had them all. And seconds. And desert (profiteroles and chocolate gateau). It was so good we might even have a look tonight too.

Room With A View

This is the evening view from our room in Es Castel. It could hardly get much better, looking out across the bay of Mahon. In the mornings we see the sunrise - Es Castel is the first town in the whole of Spain to see the sunrise.
Mind, being this close to the shore has disadvantages - at about 6.30 every morning some huge cruise ship or other glides past, the throb of it's engines being enough to waken you up. That and the tannnoy announcements saying 'and if you just look to port you can see Steve standing bleary eyed on his balcony'. Of course we DO get up each morning to watch the ships roll in (then we watch them roll away again).

This is james.

This is james. I'm just testing moblogging with the new phone (didn't realise it works via MMS as well as e-mail). The picture is composed with one of the phones fancy (but ultimately useless) features. The saying "if the face fits" was never more true than here. James' face was the exact size & shape to fit the template :-D

Bye Bye Kos

Did I say before that Kos was my least favourite Greek Island so far? What I meant to say is that it's my favourite so far. We love it here, as much for the people, the food and the atmosphere as for the sights and the beaches. We'll be back again sooner rather than later but for now it's time to fly home.