Mallorca continued

One of the first trips away from Palma was a day out to Port de Soller.  As this involved a trip of Vintage train, then another one on first electric tram in Mallorca.  Of course this made for a Happy Chappy!

There were beautiful views from the train, and oh I do like mountains.

Soller our first stop before the transfer to the tram.  The train station there housed more modern art with an exhibition by Picasso and Miro.

Looking up there were some lovely details on the roofs, which I noticed they copied on the edge of the dough platters covered in a mixture of cooked diced vegetables.

In the corner of the Placa Constitucio, is the Modernista building housing Santander Bank, which has a really magnificent window security grid.

Soller seems to be a stopping point for all the cyclists in the region, and like them, we could not resist looking into the windows of some of their lovely bakeries and pastry shops...

 Absolutely delicious...well you cannot look in the window, take photographs, and not buy?

Unfortunately the Museum was CLOSED, and we could not understand why, and we would have loved to visit the other museum and Jardi Botanic, but we were given 'duff information' as to how to get there.  But there will definitely be a next visit to this lovely Island, and I shall go ready with detailed maps etc.  There were many interesting details though, and as usual I love looking at door furniture details.  I think this was a bespoke one for Soller.

We really enjoyed our ride down to the Coast, where we explored up and down roads and found a lovely restaurant for our lunch, with views across the marina.

With warm sunshine a local beer as we waited for our lunch.

After a few days of rest, sunshine etc, Mr S was starting to feel much better, and we were ready for a walk.  From our hotel, we walked along the coast towards Palma, and with my inbuilt sense of direction, we then turned inland through some lovely wooded slopes, and arrived at Bellver Castle.  Of course I had to keep stopping to look at the lovely wild flowers.

Bellver Castle was built in the 14th Century and is a true gem.

 From the inner circular courtyard, you can see the outer towers

There are some lovely sculptures, and this one of Livia seems to glow thanks to the contrast of black marble against the alabaster.

I was captivated by a temporary exhibition of Woodcut Bookplates mainly by Xam.  There were cabinets of really beautiful examples, which were made under commission for specific clients.  I used to have some bookplates: gummed woodcut ones, not made specifically for me, but with a blank to write my name, but they have been lost in the many moves...

We happened to visit on a Saturday, and we did not know that it was free on that day.  After we had toured the castle, we decided to pop into the information office in one of the rooms of the castle, to pick up any leaflets and see if there was any further information on Xam...there appeared to be no one around, it was lunch time after all.

I then picked up a leaflet on the Castele and then heard a little sound.  I rushed round to find a lady on the floor behind the desk.  It seemed as if she had fallen and had lots of blood on her face.  Of course we rose to the occasion:   I stayed with her, kept talking to her, trying to keep her 'awake', as Mr S rushed around the Castle to try to find some other staff, and mime to them that there was an emergency and that they should follow.  After what seemed ages, someone arrived, so we left as there was nothing further we could help with, but as I left the room, she looked towards me, I smiled and blew her a kiss, and I could see that she was saying thank you, and blew me a kiss back...I so hope that she is OK now.

Outside there are some lovely trees, and  we spent a few minutes watching a Hoopoe forage in the undergrowth just below this wall.

It was a little hazy but you can see that it only a short walk from here into Palma.

 On the way back home, we found a lovely cafe and ice cream bar called Filippo on the main drag at Cala Mayor, and this was the first of almost daily visits thereafter to have delicious cones of icecream, just one ball each day, everytime a different flavour, and for me a really good coffee too.  'Filippo' was a lovely Italian gentleman, and was very proud to show us photographs of him making the icecream.

More to follow!  Must go and cook dinner now.