Mallorca Sunshine and Darkness into Light

When our mother retired, she wanted to celebrate it by going on a holiday, I was only one who had time off around the time. So I booked a last minute holiday for both of us to Palmanova in Mallorca for the end of April. The day before the holiday, our mother got the bus up from Ennis, although it was raining when she arrived, once it stopped we made our way into town and showed her around. We finally managed to get her to House, a bar on Leeson Street and see if our cousin whose the manager there, was working and luckily enough he was on duty. It was great to catch up with him, we hadn't seen him in years. After a few disagreements on where to eat, we finally settled on a place our mother picked, a bar called Darkey Kelly's where the food, music and staff were great and the general atmosphere in the bar was brilliant. Although we only went into food, we ended up staying for hours as the night was so good.

After such a lovely weekend, it was a great way to start the holiday, the coach to Terminal 1 at the airport and through security went smoothly except me getting randomly picked for a pat down which was funny enough, the security guy doing was so nice bout it. As we waited for our flight, we made use of the chill out zone in duty free. Once we boarded the plane and departed the 2.5 hour flight over to Mallorca was so quick and painless, that my mother joked the flight over was quicker then the 3.5 hour bus journey up to Dublin from home. The coach bus to our hotel, Ola Hotel Bermudas which is an all inclusive one, was a quick enough one and our receptionist was kind enough to tell us that to go the bar first as there was food laid out and the bar was serving for 15 minutes more. Once we checked-in, and got settled int our room which we were very happy with, it was time to call it a night to the perfect first day. From the onset after breakfast, and sunbeds sorted by the pool, the hotel animation entertainment team were introducing themselves to us by the pool and what the fun events for the day ahead were. Through these events, we got to know several of the guests in the hotel, which was fun. Some how by the end of the Monday night, we ended up tagging along with a hen party into Magaluf. Although we some how ended up in Magaluf the following night as well, it was to check out the strip as a whole was like, it became obvious how dangerous Magaluf can be and this was not even high season yet.

By Wednesday morning and on our 3 different types of sun oil/lotion which I this time picked myself, we were onto a winner and stopped burning as easily. Life by the pool with the sun, drink and great company was starting to make this holiday into a great one. Later that afternoon, my mother won one of the activities and won one of the coveted entertainment diplomas. Before dinner we went for a stroll the length of the beautiful  beach not even 2 minute walk from hotel and back which built up quite an appetite. After that nights entertainment, I some how ended up going out again, which itself is ironic as I rarely go out from one week to the next and here I was going out for the 3rd night in a row. This time a group of us from the hotel decided to stay locally as we had our fill of Magaluf, so we tried Banana Joe's just around the corner from the hotel. We all were having fun and some how I was dragged up on by some random French girls up the stage and shown how to pole dance which was hilarious in itself.

We decided the following morning, to get the local bus to Palma to check out the Cathedral de Mallorca. Despite the early start, I had yet to suffer a hangover on the holiday which was itself a promising sign. After waiting a small while for the bus, the journey itself to Palma was quite an interesting bumpy ride. However once off the bus, which was right across the road from the Cathedral, it was smooth sailing. The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma is a Gothic Roman Catholic one built on the site of a pre-existing Arab Mosque. The entrance fee into the Cathedral, museum and Cloister was 7 euro which comes with a audiobook for self guiding. My mother at start was taken back by the cost but once inside she immediately said it was worth the money. The cathedral is 121 metres long, 55 metres wide and its nave is 44 metres tall. The construction began by King James I in 1229, but only finished in 1601. In 1901, reforms of the Cathedral were carried out by architect Antonio Gaudí and his influence is seen everywhere from the huge ceramic mural, stained glass windows and even down to the furnishings especially the wrought-iron canopy. The cathedral has a tower with nine bells with the size of one called N'Eloi weighing 4,517 kilos. Besides the cathedral itself, the museum and cloister are both worth visiting during your visit. The museum has several artifacts dating back to the 13th century and cloister which is a covered open arcade had a photo exhibition showing the differences and development of Palma over the years from the same vantage point. The Cathedral of Light is worth a visit if visiting Palma and you will not be left disappointed.

After leaving the cathedral, we explored around the ground outside and the palace next door before making the short stroll to the Poor Clare's Nunnery, which was not anything neither my mother or myself expected and totally complimented the tour of Cathedral we had just done. My mother said leaving the convant that she nearly enjoyed the visit to convant more than the cathedral. Walking back towards to the port we came across the old Arabic Baths and the entrance fee in was 2.50. The baths are situated in the narrow streets of the medieval quarter of the city and is the only remaining Moorish-built building in Palma. It was such a random find that there was a peaceful and quiet columned garden next to the Cupola or dome in the otherwise bustling city. The dome has various round apertures to allow steam to escape as the surviving room was used for hot baths. The Arab bathhouse is such a rare unique building thought to formed part of the palace of a noble Moslem,
from the time of the occupation of the Moors and is worth a visit. Once we left the baths, we made our way to the port to have a wander, the port just seemed to go on for ever. We decided it was time to get the bus home, when finally found the bus stop bout a 20 minute walk along the port, it was another 40/45 minutes before the bus finally turned up and as is typical not just one bus turned up but two. At least the journey back to Palmanova was quicker and a lot smoother. When we got to the hotel, the sun was just getting hotter, so we timed it well. As it was so hot, I finally gave in and tried out the pool, although it was freezing at first, it was exactly what I needed with that heat. That night we enjoyed the night time entertainment at the hotel, which was running Mr Ola Bermudas which ended up being quite funny. As my mother was wrecked from all the walking,  I ended up meeting people for a drink, at the bar near the hotel, it was a perfect end to the day.

  

The following morning, the Friday and last full day and night of our holiday, we decided to make most of the sun, drink and pool. I somehow finally managed to get my mother into the pool, still not quite sure how I did as it was quite the ordeal but once she finally got into the coldish pool, she started to enjoy it and cursed herself for waiting so long to get in. When the clouds were blocking the sun,  a small group of us did the afternoon entertainment activity indoors, a movie themed version of charades which our team won by a Point which was a fun but tough game at times. After dinner we went to go sort out our boarding passes for the way home however it just failed epically, luckily I was able to contact +Niamh to do it for me and email it to the hotel who were able to print it out for me, the stress of it all. Despite the hassle, we were able to enjoy the other parts of Palmanova. We made it back to the hotel for the evening entertainment which is so had to explain but was so much fun which involved answering the questions and running the stage first. In the final came down to me and other guy and somehow I managed to win it. I was so embarrassed with all the fuss but was so entertaining. 

 

Our final morning, we packed up and did some last minute shopping before checking out at 12 as we were not able to get a late check out. Luckily enough one of the people we got to know offered to mind our bags in their room for the day which was so kind of them. As we enjoyed the 31 degree sun by the pool for a while, we decided after lunch  to go play mini golf as we noticed the place on one of our walks. The course was very well done, and it got quite competitive between myself and my mother. In the end she somehow managed to win the game by 1 stroke. When we got by to the pool to enjoy some last bit of sun and drink, my mother fell asleep I had To wake her up as she beginning to burn. We were able to use the couresty room which was funny enough as it was one of the gang we got to know old room. Not long after we finished people started to depart for the airport. We were the last to leave for the airport at 8 pm didn't take too long to get to the airport. The coach just before the airport passed by the cathedral in Palma one last time. After we got through security and duty free, we actually met most of the gang from the hotel in our terminal. We said our good byes and waited to board our plane. The Aerlingus flight only had 14 people on the flight home although I heard the flight the following day was full, it's was so empty as it was Aerlingus first flight of the season from Palma. The flight itself both of us slept most of the way back to Dublin. Once we exited the airport at 1 am, we were met by 8 degrees and rain what a welcome home. The taxi journey was quick which was great as I needed to get home to bed as was up at 7 am for a full day at work, sure no rest for the wicked. The holiday was an unexpected gem, the people we met were so nice and were great to interact with, the bar and entertainment staff were so much fun and helpful and sure the sun and drink helped too. I've made some friends from this holiday that I'm still chatting with since. 

The Saturday morning at 2.30 am both Niamh and myself got up to get ready for the +Pieta House +Darkness into Light 5km walk in the Phoenix Park. The money raised for the Pieta House charity is used in the prevention of suicide and self harm. Over 10,000 people did it in the Phoenix Park and 80,000 nationally and internationally as far a field as Sydney and New York. The atmosphere and buzz in the park was electric which was great to see and be part of. Through out the 5km there were lights and music provided by a choir between the 3-4 km mark which was a pleasant unexpected surprise. After the end of the 5km there was a great feeling of accomplishment but we both had to rush up as I needed a nap before work and Niamh did before her exam. Despite the tiredness I had during work I felt great having done it.