No Suncream Required

Now this just isn't on.  It's the start of high season in Majorca and when the sun has been out, it's been windy and chilly. For the last day and a half, it has just point blank refused to be seen, which means that when I tell people I've just come from here they'll look at me and go "Really?"

It was have been nice to at least get a hint of colour on this trip and I feel quite sorry for the people who have come out here on holiday. 

We ventured into Palma again and whilst visiting the Pharmacia so Alex could get something for a skin rash, we saw a brand of Condom with a pretty specific target market!

We lazily wandered through the town, did some shopping and saw some mime artists (like they have in Covent Garden) including possibly the worst ever, which consisted of a middle aged man vaguely dressed as Dracula waving a plastic bat at anyone who ventured within 6 feet.

Some however were more impressive.

After a meal at one of the many pavement cafes that are in Palma...

...we looked round some more shops, had some beers and finished up with a Chinese take away from the restaurant underneath Alex's apartment.  They spoke no English, we spoke no Chinese, so we got by in Spanish, which was interesting.

And so concludes my trip, I so wish the whole family could have been here to watch the show but it is just too expensive.  Maybe I will try to come out again later in the summer for another long weekend.  Knowing my luck it will be the rainy season by then!

Between a Hard Rock and a place...

It was definitely "After The Lord Mayor's Show" today so no-one rose very early.  I popped to the local supermarket which, considering the size of Palmanyola, had a fantastic selection of fresh produce, all top quality and in plentiful supply.  I think the locals all support each other's businesses so that they all survive, just the way it should be really.

Alex and I went to La Encina for breakfast/brunch and then we headed into Palma, which is just a short bus ride away.  It is a picturesque town (city?) and the marina/harbour area is phenomenal.  There are literally hundreds of boats moored there, including one owned by the Beckhams, who are frequent visitors to the area.

 

Overlooking the front is the Hard Rock Cafe, where we had dinner.  I was torn between the New York Strip and the Smoked Trio Combo (ribs, chicken and pork) but on the waiters recommendation I opted for the sirloin which was apparently a better quality meat.  To be honest, I have had far better steaks at home and if that was the best cut they had, I'm glad I didn't have the others!

The main object of the afternoon was to find a bar showing the last Premier League games of the season.  A man in the information section said that there wasn't much UK football shown in Palma as we would probably have to go to somewhere like Magaluf for that, but just around the corner we discovered Hogan's Irish bar and positioned ourselves between three screens so that with a turn of the head, we could watch Chelsea v Everton, Tottenham v Sunderland and Newcastle v Arsenal.  Football heaven.  It was a shame that Alex's preferred option of Spurs qualifying for the Champions League next season didn't come off, but hey.

So it was then some drinks and people watching outside Cafe 1916 near the main square before it got too cold and heading back to Palmanyola at about 10 for a nightcap and an early night. That has been the only disappointment really, the weather.  It has been as warm if not warmer in the UK, definitely no suncream required and the forecast for Monday and Tuesday is cloud and rain, max 18 degrees. But guess what!  The day after I return they are back into all day sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20's.

Bloody typical.

It's Showtime!

After our Lazy Saturday, I made the short 10 minute walk to Son Amar.  This is a big Variety Dinner Show and I was completely unaware as to just how big; it is set in a vast manor house and estate and every evening they play to packed houses of 1000 or more people.  It has it's own road-sign and several billboards around the island.

At the entrance we were greeted by mad Leyland on a black stallion called Solomon and the queues to get in were long, but it moved quickly.

The theatre is absolutely vast and the stage area enormous.  This is a very high class evening out, with each customer paying upwards of 65 Euros per head for the show, 4 course meal and all the wine and Champagne they can drink.  As you would expect, everything is slick and professional, with the orchestra musicians being of the highest quality and an absolutely amazing laser light show (apologies for the poor picture quality)

The band entertained everyone for a while before the Variety show started.  It opened with a section from Lion King, and Alex was first on as a Giraffe, using stilts and crutches.  The quality of entertainment got better and better with the Flamenco sections being dominated by Alex's housemate Rafa, who is highly trained in the art.  There was a section of the show where featuring a Flamenco v Irish dancing "battle", which was highly entertaining. 

But for me the highlight was the Michael Jackson section, where they pulled together a medley of songs being Thriller, Bad, Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal and Black or White.  This featured Alex doing solo's dressed as Jacko, including Moonwalks and everything! 

There where whoops of delight from the crowd at the end and a standing ovation for that section.  I am a very proud Dad.

I bought the programme and DVD (naturally) and was extra delighted when I found this on one page.

I am so glad I came out to see this and what a job for your first professional assignment.  It's an excellent thing to have on the C.V. and if anyone goes to Majorca, it is well worth an evening out.  Fantastic entertainment of the highest quality.

Lazy Saturday Afternoon

I think I was overtired.

Otherwise I would have almost certainly done more than just dozed for a few hours before

BA-DA-DA-DADA-DADA-BA!

Guess who forgot to turn off their phone alarm then?  6:30 was the time it first went off and then another second alarm I thought I had turned off but obviously didn't followed that at 7:00. Then the sun coming up streamed through the window and that's it.  Well and truly awake. Not what the Doctor ordered to be honest.

So after a bit of net surfing and reading I got up, saw Alex's flatmate Rafa and his girlfriend Bethany before they went out and then wrote the opening blogpost before reading a bit more.  I would have gone out in the sun as it looked quite pleasant but the door was locked and I had no idea a) where the key was or b) where I was.

When Alex finally surfaced at about 2:00, he let me out (freedom!) and pointed me in the direction of the shops, where absolutely everything was.  A dentist, hairdresser, vet, tobacconist, Pharmacy (all closed), a small supermarket (just closing) and a few bars and cafe bars (open).  The trouble is, there was absolutely no-one around aside from about 5 people spread across the assorted bars.

After a beer or two, I met Rafa who had come to La Encina for food and we had Pork Escalope and chips, plus a further beer and local liqueur made from mountain algae (tasted much better than it sounds) before Alex joined us as well.  

He had to go off to work to get prepared for tonights show at 6 and I went up to sit and read on the roof terrace before getting ready to go and watch with his girlfriend Sophie.

What's that?  Boring?  Yep.  Nothing happens here, nothing of note happened this afternoon and the pace of life here is backwards. Actually, after what's gone on this year so far, that is exactly what the Doctor ordered.

But tonight, it's all happening.  We are off to Son Amar.

Getting Down with the kids

It's some time since I went abroad on my own - 5 years in fact - and back then I was single.  It took me 3 days to speak to anyone that wasn't a barman and was a slightly odd experience.

This time however, I am in a happy, stable relationship with my best friend and soulmate Dawn and in an ideal world she would be sat next to me.  For some  time this weekend had been earmarked as a special weekend when we would head off to Venice from our local Southend Airport.  However, things are never as easy as they could be, for a variety of reasons it didn't happen and so I took the opportunity to book a flight to Majorca to see my son Alex who is a professional dancer at Son Amar, one of the big Variety Dinner Shows on the Island.

The break was needed certainly as I have been working incredibly hard recently, right up to practically departure time and when I met Dawn for a pre-trip lunch I still had a feeling of ongoing momentum; like you have when you get off a roller coaster.  You've physically stopped but the effects of the ride are still there.

And so it was off to Southend, my local airport, to catch my flight.  I had managed to get everything in hand luggage so there was no bag to check (Woo Hoo!) and it made everything so simple and straightforward. The airport is small and so there is little to do, the Duty Free shops have minimal (and expensive) stock so I just sad and people watched.

The group of fancy dressed Stags currently boarding the flight to Amsterdam caused some hilarity but aside from them, the departure lounge was predominantly made up of couples.

Until, that is, a large and rather loud Hen Party (wearing pink sashes with "Hen Party" written on them in case anyone had any doubt) announced their arrival with loud whoops and cackles.

It's at this point you pray that they are either on another flight or at least sat nowhere near you... but then came the different Stag parties, one in their twenties, one thirties and then by far the loudest, drunkest and worst, the middle aged lot in their forties and fifties.  One of them was dressed in a pink onesie and an large adult sized nappy. Let's just say it made the flight interesting and when the poor stewardess FINALLY had to exert some authority and tell one in particular to calm down, the rest of the plane broke into spontaneous applause.

No luggage and front seats meant I was first off the plane and through to arrivals, meeting Alex and we caught the bus into Palma to meet some of the other cast from the show, but first having some Pa Amb Bio (Tomato, Serrano Ham, Bread, Olives and Manchego cheese), which filled a hole nicely. 

It wasn't long before we were off to Nicholas Bar to meet Alex's friends and then we ended up in Lorien, a bar selling an immense range of beers from around the world and kitted out in a Fantasy theme, with Tribal markings around the walls, a sword through a pillar and Orc masks as lampshades.

Leyland, a slightly mad American and one of the backstage crew kept everyone wildly entertained and was definitely a highlight of the evening. The sound guy, Fernando (I asked if he could hear the drums but he didn't get it - clearly not an Abba fan)  wanted us to go on to a Gothic bar but by this time it was nearly 2am and after a long day I was grateful for a lift back from Leyland and his girlfriend Mercedes.

Apparently the weather hasn't been too good here over the last few days and I am hoping for  something nicer over the weekend.  Fingers crossed.