Our Non Alcoholic Spanish Drink Of Choice

As you know  we are particularly partial to a refreshing, lemony type drink when we are sur la plage......

...... and this holiday is no exception.  On our first day we made a bit of a mistake in opting for a bottle of Tu Limonada, which though perfectly pleasant, proved to be still, rather than our preferred effervescent.

However, the following day ......

..... we hit liquid gold, in the guise of Kas Limon!

It's just perfect, we really can't get enough ........

......being a lot tarter than the Fanta we get at home, which compared to said Kas is fizzy sugar with a hint of lemon in a can!

I think we've had it in every size can and bottle we can find, although sadly its presence has proved elusive in all of the restaurants we've frequented so far, they only purvey the aforementioned weak Lemon Fanta, which is a shame.

However, trust us, we're taking full advantage of Kas while we can.  I swear we slosh when we come off the beach at the end of the day!!  What are we like?

We Give Up

We have to say that almost everything about our Viva Espania Experience has, thus far, gone pretty well .........

I say, almost everything, because yesterday we hit a petite problem when the wind was being "playful" around our sunshade, causing it to blow inside out a little too often for our liking ........

 ..... until one gust finally tore a couple of the spokes from the fabric ....... 

 ...... and despite Darrell having a needle and thread with him for a nifty repair  ........

..... by the end of the afternoon we had to admit defeat ......... 

..........deciding, this morning, we needed to break into our "for emergencies" euro fund, in order to hire a couple of official, council run sun loungers and shades (with an additional extra, to wit a safe.

I'll be honest, while being parsimonious in hiring our initial sunbeds and shade was a novelty at first, we hadn't really taken into consideration or anticipated the problematic lift situation at our hotel .......

...... with us being on the fifth floor and where one of the four lifts isn't working and the other three seeming to have a mind of their own as to where they stop and start. We've noticed that most people have given up and tend to use the stairs instead. Said lifts are meant to take eight people, but are more suited to carry four, unless you want to play tightly packed, sweaty, sardines! So imagine peoples faces when we've rocked up with two loungers a sunshade and all our beach paraphernalia (mad dogs ........)!

The stairs weren't really an option, especially with Darrell's vertigo and avoidance of all things of a spiral type nature, if he can help it!

So, I think, in the end we're quite happy after a week of lugging in the heat to enjoy a little more of luxuries lap.

And in the meantime, we're going to look to replace said tempest tossed sunshade, just in case we face "penalties" for not returning the original in the condition in which it was first received. What are we like?

We Adora Palma Mallorca

I think, as we suspected, a cheeky quick trip (around six hours) to the capital of Mallorca, Palma was not enough ........

...... we absolutely adored it and it just left us wanting more ......

...... especially in the old town .......

...... where it was all just toooooooooo atmospheric and romantic for words.  It stole our hearts.

Now, we love our beloved Greek Isles, but perhaps it was a tiny bit fortuitous that this year our holiday budget was a little on the compromised side, because, otherwise, we might never have ventured to pastures new .......

...... to wit to the shores of la belle Espania ......

...... which only took two hours flight time to get here, instead of considerably longer, depending on the Greek Isle being travelled too, so again, a bit of a bonus.

Soooooooo yes, I think we would like to return at a slower, more sedate pace at sometime, to visit a few of the places that we didn't manage to fit in this time, like the cathedral and its grounds, more churches and one or two of the nearby beaches etc ...... 

...... but NOT if it causes any protests of a Toxic Tourism type nature. It would just be too mortifying to find that our presence, in the future, could cause issues effecting the local economy or local people.  

I hope we show only the greatest respect to any country we visit, but we know there are a few of our countrymen that can give us a bad wrap.

We shall have to ponder and muse some more and then see ........

The Most Beautiful Ice Cream Cone We've Ever Seen

Although quite full after our unforgettable Spanish, real life, proper, churros experience ......

..... temptation was still round every single corner in Palma ........

...... soooooooooo, it would have been rude not to have at least a little gander .......

....... and cheeky inhale of some of the other wonderful comestible profferings! 

However, there was also some ornate decor that took Darrell's breath away .......

 ...... in particular this mahoooooosive, jewel encrusted ice cream cone, which even I had to admit was absolutely stunning.  I don't think either of us has ever been so taken aback by such an elegant ice cream bearing receptacle before, which left Darrell proclaiming that had it been for sale, he'd have moved heaven, earth and highwater in order to purchase it, to replace the now very ordinary mirror in The Tower's hall!

So long did we stand ohhhhhing and ahhhhing, admiring it's wonderous beauty .......

....... that it seemed only polite that we avail ourselves of a tiny scoop or two or three from the kiosk it was adorning ........

What are we like?

Real Life Churros in Palma

When in Palma, it would be rude not to do as the Palmarians do, to wit, embrace a cheeky churros!

We'd experienced "plain" churros with ice cream back in Pegeura, but we'd only dreamed of being able to them embrace them, in full, by dipping them in warm, melted chocolate .......

Needless to say, once spotted, we were in the purveying establishment within seconds and our order delivered toute suite ....... 

Let's just say, not a lot was said as we were each lost in our thoughts with unbridled, comestible Spanish delight.  They DID NOT disappoint, even the cup was drained, politely, if not licked, because, unfortunately, our tongues were not quite long enough ...... but trust us, if they had been, we would not have held back! 

This was a mahoooosive Spanish bucket list tick off for Darrell and I ........ and with that, I think I'll just leave the joy there for us both to remember and contemplate the true wonderfullness of it all!  What are we like? 

Another School Year Over ........

Our thoughts today are very much back home with Eric because, goodness only knows how it happened, but another school year has come to an end, in the blink of an eye! It only seems like yesterday, that  we were dabbing an emotional eye over our beloved niece proudly modelling her new school blazer and tie and worrying about her settling in, as if, in the end, we needed to ....... a duck to water springs to mind!

So, this afternoon Eric set out for the very last time, this school year, to pick up his beloved niece and nephew from their respective meeting places, trying to keep it all together!

He collected Bertie first, knowing that he had to embrace each and every single second, as this was one of those reflective days where memories, happy and sad are made (..... the next time he picked up Bertie, he would be in Year 5, his last year at first school).  As per usual, his young nephew leapt into his arms with a huge hug and sloppy kiss, before they set off to met Iris, going over Bertie's very last day with his class and staff, as they will all be mixed up next year.  

 

Eric had his "spare provisions" bag ready, as the young master is always starving, hungry, famished after school, usually opting for a Jaffa Cake, chocolate coated Biscoff or Jamie Dodger ........and on hot days, well, it would be rude not to pop into the only corner shop we've ever found in Evesham, for a slush.  

And then, there was Lidl, where on no slush days Bertie and Eric pop in to pick up (often following a early morning text message) an item from the bakery department for Iris, usually a yum yum, pretzel or pink doughnut. Bertie doesn't often fancy anything, but will occasionally choose a cookie. 

It is also where Eric taught Bertie how to use the self service machines and scan his debit card, the trust and responsibility something Bertie is very proud of! 

With baked comestible in hand, it was time to meet Iris for more hugs and kisses, before wending their way slowly to Snake Mountain, each a little lost in thoughts of no school or school runs for the next six weeks, and wonderful adventures, holidays and weekends away ahead and so many carefree days stretching before them......  

Eric, we understand from Alice, returned home a little quieter than usual and knew instinctively that he needed a little space for a while. 

She felt exactly the same, it's a bit like New Years Eve but in July ........ with soooooo much been, done, gone and behind us and a whole raft of new starts ahead, if you know what I mean?

Our First Palma Port Of Call ....... A Stunning Church

As you know, we very much appreciate a church, plain or spectacular, when we are in foreign climes and what was the very first "interesting" building we stumbled upon on our trip to Palma, only one of the most stunning churches we've visited ......

....to wit the Basilica De Sant Miquel de Palma, of the catholic persuasion .......

 ...... even though our pictures don't even touch on its full glory, because we were really trying our best to be respectful, not wishing to make it obvious what we were doing. 

Down both sides of the church were different alters, each seeming to become more beautiful as we went round ......

..... until we found, almost at the end, our very favourite one, if you're allowed to have favourite things in church?

Again, our picture doesn't show just how breathtakingly it was, in a peaceful and gentle, yet ornate type way, with Mary bathed in blue, surrounded by cherubs and seraphine, gold pillars and magnificent painting depicting her glorification.

It was here that Darrell and I decided to light our traditional candle to remember all the special people who are no longer with us to share in our adventures, Andy, Granny Shelia, Grandad Colin, Grandad Jack, Uncle Stephen  ...........

It was the most perfect start to our visit .......

...... we held them in our hearts as we continued on our way, safe in the thought that they would be ohhhhing and ahhhhing along with us in awe of this beautiful city. 

Palma does have a very wonderful cathedral, but the queues, we were warned, are long and hot, but to be honest, we prefer to go off piste as far as our churches are concerned, as you never know quite what to expect once you pass through their portals.