So starting here at Day Two because its taken this long to work out local wifi and mobile data charges. I know you think my life is one long holiday, and yes we only got back from Dartmouth a couple of weeks ago, but this is our first big bird in sky jaunt in three years. We are staying in Alcudia in the northern part of Mallorca. I’m currently sitting by a big (and I suspect partially man made) lagoon at the furthest extent of the hotel wifi zone. The sun is out, it’s about 28 Celsius and I’m almost out of earshot of the bigger family areas and pools.
The WordPress app is being a little flaky with pictures at the moment so those may need to wait a while. We set out early from home on Tuesday and arrived in our resort around 1.00pm. JBoy behaved perfectly on his first flight as did DBoy who didn’t remember his first trip abroad. Alcudia seems to be a very tourist centric area. We will try to locate a little culture if we can but this looks to be more about the chill.
Our hotel is a huge complex of buildings and I think there is some national segregation going on. Our block surrounds the largest pool area and is mainly populated by British. There are some stunning examples of tattooed flesh mounds from around the UK and accents I really don’t get.
Ill try a few sneaky pool bar shots but might not necessarily ask for model release.
This above from the approaching flight into Palma. A beautiful day for flying and an easy 2hr flight from East Midlands. I came to Mallorca last in 1999 for Christmas with my parents. We stayed in the south west of the island near Andratix which was very pretty, had one of the best markets I’ve ever seen. Whole cured hams, masses of fresh fish and spring onions the size of leeks.
This next one from coming into land.
The weather took a tiny dive later in the afternoon but the aim of operation was achieved.
These pictures are a lower res than I’d normally go for but seem to work so far.
This one from our balcony, the early reasonable peace of 8.00am. Towels starting to grow on the sun loungers.
I can see I’m going to send as much on data here. Mobile data is pre charged easily through EE but it gets eaten up quickly. Lets see how long 100mb lasts.
We are heading out through Alcudia for snack lunch. These guys are prepping the street side BBQ for kebab specials later.
Lunch is occurring at a traditional Spanish British Pub. Toasted sandwiches, hot dogs and Cervesa of cold type. It’s fairly quite on the strip at this time of day. A good time for racing duo-pedellos in the street.
Speaking of racing, there’s a karting track on the resort complex. Katmania, staffed by sleeve tattooed English boys. That’s a way to spend summer I guess. GBoy took a cautious spin, DBoy ducked out because he’s frugal. 
Walking back from there we stopped for air hockey at the Black & White Pizzaria. Of course…..
Last of the day. Due to tired small people we took the soft food option of a traditional all you can eat Chinese Buffet. This entailed a walk done the strip. This is the BBQ that the earlier guys have now torched into life. 
There are also guys doing pavement art, selling dubious laser pens, girls doing hair braiding and corn rows and I’m sure an open market for herbal remedies of all kinds.
Finally we headed home, past the lagoon and the Pueblo Espanyol which was lit up like an illuminated olive tree.
I wore a Pixies t-shirt today. Thought of this mainly…..
Day Three
A day of beach based fun. I made the initial mistake of telling GBoy that there are child eating creatures under stand but when the tide started washing jelly fish onto the beach it wasn’t such a big lie. Here a few pictures from the walk down here.
There are melon sellers cruising the beach. Hey tried to tempt us by leaving a box of drying dusty fruit by our sunbeds. Mmmmmmmmm…. No ta.
This is the boys just before the bucket war broke out. It was ugly. Crab baby won.
This from the little estuary outlet from the lagoon. 
This from the landing pier.
Took a walk down to the harbour in Alcudia. Feet are wrecked! It’s awful lovely down there though. 
The above however is @F1Fanwmm getting as close to the waves as is allowed without hair insurance.
A reasonably good evening out. Dinner was very fine but not inexpensive. Without to much detail, here’s some evidence. 
This last b/w one from the front of place.
Musical Interlude.
Jamming ‘Blond On Blond’ this week and the following stands out. Normally I’m a ‘Sad Eyed Lady’ follower but this rings better with the weather and landscape.
Day Four
Morning constitutional with GBoy. We went down by the lagoon which is sadly full of washed up plastics. The causeway started to flood so we got wet feet. G was also reluctant to venture to far down the path after a short conversation about indigenous snakes and scorpions. 
This one from the tiny litter covered island looking back across the hotel and the mountain / hill thing behind.
Lovely afternoon at Porto D’ Alcudia. We stopped for Tapas and checked the pretty boutiques. The bar had that garlic sauce / mayonnaise that takes your breath away and replaces it with brimstone. 
These from yesterday, quickly whilst I have a data network.
Those ravenous beauties above going bread crazy in the harbour. A few of them a good half a meter long (fisher mans measurements).
Me (slightly taller in the glasses) with the boys. They have been completely tolerable for most of the time.
Day Five
Due to late hour and utter idiocy of the hotel Wi-Fi this will be brief and pictorial. Today we enjoyed a huge cooked breakfast, tolerated over crowded local buses, chilled in and loved Puerto Pollence, tried local Paella Avroz Negra (and agreed to cook a better one at home) and huddled the kids into an early night so we can catch an early bus tomorrow. This is how it looked…..
Day Six
It’s Sunday and we are on a bus heading to the old town and the Sunday Market.
I have 50mb of data and 1hr to use it. Expect random pictures.
Still in the Old Town but the market is wrapping up. GBoy had his portrait drawn by an artist. The mans house was crammed with drawings and paintings.
We also found the big church in the square. They no how to do old time religion.
Some more from later in the day. Starting to get last day syndrome & and a touch of Spanish Cold. And the child broke the Octarina which has really annoyed me. This is why we can’t have nice things.
Day Seven
Spent mainly at the beach. GBoy took fright at the water due mainly to my jellyfish stories. The others took no notice as usual. Here are some pictures from the frontline. The top picture is just minutes before the Jellyfish apocalypse.
For a final evening we took the mini tourist rain into Porto d’ Alcudia and had a big tapas feast. The harbour was very pretty with the last of the evening light.
So that’s about it, bar some shopping and a last few photos I need to upload from my iPad. Almost time to go home.
Day Eight
Not sure how that works though. Another lovely sunny morning. Full English in Bar Navara then packing whilst the boys had a last swim.
Epilogue
Ensconced back at home I still have a mass of photographs and one last episode of ‘Hannibal’ to watch. Even with the detritus of the tour spread around the house and the ‘fear of bank’ around the corner it was definitely a great holiday. F1 and eye need to relearn work and the boys have the learn about fruit and vegetables again but it remains a success.
First follow up below includes travelling coach pictures. Further down I’ll get to big camera edits. This new service bought to you by iOS7 updates and good domestic wifi.
The landscape of Mallorca is utterly beautiful.
adrian4 