Mallorca: Tuesday

[Originally: https://wmconnolley.livejournal.com/27185.html]

I got up at 6 to go running. 6 turned out to be too early - still dark outside. So I fiddled online for a bit, then by the time I'd finished that, and realised it was time to get my kit on, it was 6:45 and easily light enough. Oops. Motto: getting up at 6:30 is about right for the early light. Still, it wasn't sunrise, and I ran up through the town as before, then to the roundabout and over the isthmus through Alcudia and down to the sea at the far side. None of this was fast - I soon gave up on keeping to 5 min/km, and settled for "whatever I felt like running at", which turned out to be 5:15 ish - but it was going fairly well and I was enjoying it, perhaps especially the long road along towards Port de Pollenca on the far side - nice to run on, as there is a wide cycle path. As I was going down that the sun was coming up over the sea, nice. So I decided to extend the intended 21.1 k to 25 k, which also got me as far as the outskirts of P de P, not that I saw much. Turn round and back again, passing a few other people, getting tired up the hill, and accidentally running down into Port de Alcudia, which meant getting back would take 26 k, but I couldn't face the extra 1 k, so walked it, as I'd decided long before that I intended 25 k. And the track is here. Overall: nice to do the distance, haven't for ages, but need to keep the speed up especially past 21 k.

When I got back - 9:30, including a quick fall into the pool after - the others were in breakfast, so I quickly showered and followed them. Again, breakfast buffet is splendid, and (over)indulge myself.

After this, its a day out, because I want one, and so does M. And there is lots to see around. The only problem is the insane heat (Carruthers) which means that except indoors, or in an a/c car, or under the shade of awning or pinetree, life is impossible. So we drive to Alcudia, with me saying exciting things like "I ran here" and everyone ignoring me. The old city walls interest no-one else, so we don't stop, but try to get to somewhere nice on the cape, which turns out to be the Mirador de la Victoria, after several diversions. Its high up above the sea, and shaded by pines and by awning, so is tolerable in temperature, and we have several games of whist (mostly notable for D doing well and me badly) while I swig limonade (fanta) - very nice, especially for one dehydrated after a morning run. And we look out over the blue sea and across to the dry rocky cape that runs out from Port de Pollenca to Cap Formentor. Hopefully we can "do" that some day. By now its about 12:30, and we decide to go back down to the beach we passed on the way up here, which is just a little pull-off by the side of the road, and a path down to a pebbly beach. Again, lovely, but its v. hot unless you're in the sea or in the shade. Here it is - its the beach by the island, which I swam round. D and E floated on the lilo (OK, I did too, and so did M) and it was good. D complained that the water wasn't clear enough - hmm, maybe not, but this is an embayment in the Med. After 3/4 hour we'd used up our quota of direct noonday sunshine and were in danger of broiling, so retreated off towards Pollenca.

Various people had sung the praises of Pollenca at us. No-one had mentionned the near-impossibility of finding your way into the bastard place. So we drive in, following "Centre" signs, expecting ermm well to find a centre. And totally fail. Really, it was the famous "you are in a maze of twisty passages all alike". Eventually we find something that looks right (but isn't) but at least has a map, and after more confusion we get close enough to find the main square. And have more drinks and more rounds of whist, again with D doing very well and me pulling back just a little. However, I'm still not too impressed by P, which is nice enough, true, but hardly wonderful. Perhaps I'm put off by the heat again, and maybe a little by us having failed to bring out much cash and the resto we're in not wanting to take a card. Also, M and I wander off to look at the Big Church only to discover that entry is by "donation" and that, from outside, it doesn't look too exciting - just yer typical Romanesque. Anyway we left our cash with the kids and don't feel like walking to and fro under the hot hot sun again.

So instead we have an ice cream, and this turns out to be a very good idea, since they are excellent. My limon flavour is very lemon, delightful.

And so, back to the VivaBlue at about 5. When I get there and we unpack the car I have a sudden thought: where exactly is my wallet. Urgh. So when did I last have it? Aie, when I gave it to M so she could get out a few coppers to finish paying the ice cream lady. And then when I walked back to the car I had my book in one hand, and the ice cream in the other, and I was wearing my running/swimming shorts, which have no pockets, and therefore... Sigh. Back M and I go to Pollenca, and yes we get hopelessly lost once again, but yes the nice lady still has my wallet (phew) so we reward her and us by buying more ice creams: I have mango and limon, again. So at about 6:30 we're back, pick up E who has been floating in the pool, and after quick showers all round we're ready to go to dinner.

Last night's buffet was good, and the kids are keen to go back, so do that. This night is Mexican night which means they have a lot of the same basics, but the cooked-bit is centered on Mexican (but again I have nothing cooked). They have some oaxaca cheese which is a new one on me (is more solid and less stringy than that pic) but tastes similar to solid white cheeses. Manage half a hottish fat dark green chilli, but am otherwise content to stuff myself as per yesterday on olives, cheese, melon, papaya, eggs, oh and all sorts of stuff. Oh, and the "melon soup" which M decided was mostly cream was quite new to me and good.

Then the event that the children have been waiting for: today's Risk game. Using yesterday's rules variant, plus a new "retreat rule": if attacked, you can just retreat. It was going well for me (partly due to my secret pact with M) and I'd nearly killed off D, when M broke the truce and in a decide-the-result-by-9:30, E was the winner. Kids then off to bed / their appt, and we mostly talked to our pooters: M catching up on the Tour d'Espana, or whatever its called.

[Updated: added a couple of pix.]