My first big trip (re: plane ride) post-COVID was to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. The
first time I went to Mallorca it was December, so most coastal regions were essentially ghost towns. Despite being during COVID times, this time around in July it was noticeably livelier. As well as more international (to not say more German). As far as COVID restrictions go, after landing they stopped us three times in the airport to check where we were coming from. At the time, Galicia was a ¨safe zone¨ with very few cases. (Oh how times have changed!) Therefore we didn't have to provide vaccination records or negative tests. The week before we went, Mallorca had been all over the news in Spain, as teenagers from around the country celebrating graduation had flocked to the island en masse, with very little social distancing. The result was a huge spike in cases, and mandatory quarantine for many teens. Quarantine in very nice hotels, mind you. They received a lot of backlash for complaining about the situation.
But I digress. We didn't go to Mallorca to party it up, but rather to relax with the fam. We rented a house with a marvelous patio, pool, and jacuzzi. The beach was less than 10 minutes away on foot. A pebbly cove. We ended up branching out to other sand beaches during our stay. I don't consider myself a beach person, but I guess after living for years in a region with over 1,000 miles of coastline, it's growing on me. In Galicia, however, they don't serve tropical cocktails on the beach! Lime and coconut concoctions tasted like vacay. Hard to resist. The Mediterranean Sea was not bathwater, as I had been promised. Certainly warmer than in Galicia though. And everywhere the water was crystalline!
The house location was perfect for the family fishers, who got up around 5 AM to head out in search of lunch. If these were hunter-gatherer times, we'd have been left starving. I was assured that in Mallorca there are ¨loads of fish to be caught.¨ After six early mornings and a few afternoons of fishing, they had only a handful of fish to show for it. Éche o que hai (it is what it is).
Fortunately there were also activities besides fishing. One day we did a high ropes course, something I haven't done in over a decade. The last time I went as a Girl Scout, I remember it being scarily high. And even though this time we went on a course for ages six and up, I still had my qualms. But actually it was quite easy, and all of the sets ended in a zipline. Plus, being up in the trees was a great way to avoid the summer heat.
Another morning we cooled off on a visit to the Caves of Hams. Hams is mallorquín for hooks. These unique stalactites defy the laws of gravity! While the stalactites themselves grow downward, on some a small hook juts out and grows upwards again. Fascinating! The cave was all the more spectacular thanks to the colorful and dramatic lights they have set up.
