As we knew we were weathered in here for another few days we decided it was time to hire a car and do some exploring. It was raining heavily all morning but in a break in the rain I went out to collect the hire car. It was a bit of a walk away but you all know how I love walking. After I had been about 2km I reached into my bag to get my phone out so I could pull up Google maps for the final bit of the walk……it wasn’t there. I realised in my haste to get to the office before they shut for lunch I had left the phone on charge on the boat!! I tried to find the office from memory but it was no use – I had to walk back and start all over again. Luckily the company offered to come and collect me so I met them and they drove me to the office where I picked up a Fiat Panda (good job we like these cars – they are very popular here).
We set off as soon as I got back to the port and found an interesting little spot for lunch in the next development along from Ciutadella called Cala Blanes. We ate in a restaurant called Haiti which had a grass roof (well almost) and it overlooked Dolphins jumping out of a roundabout. It was all a little crazy but the food (and company) was good and we had a great time. We saw a bit more of the coast and a fair few cows (lying down in the rain) before we headed back via Lidl.
Thursday came and with it more rain showers. We decided to traverse the island and headed across to Mahon via a coffee stop in Ferrieres. We had a nice wander along the waterfront and a coffee which we needed after our visit to the marina office! We had decided since we were there we would enquire about spaces for June when we hope to visit. We found out that the club marítimo (who we used last time) have lost the contract for the mooring spaces from the end of May – and no-one seems to know who has the new contract!! This must be worth many thousands of euros and from next week no-one even knows how berths can be booked – how very odd. Watch this space as we try to find out more.
On the way back we stopped off at an antique shop, got lost down a country lane and finally had a lovely lunch in El Mercadal.
One final stop was at Naveta des Tudons where I took a short wander too see what some people say is Europe’s oldest building – it is certainly Spain’s oldest and it was really not what I expected. The shape is different to any other building I’ve seen – fascinating to think how many footsteps have trodden the ground to it over the years. It now sits about half a kilometre off the main road in what seems like the middle of nowhere 3,5km out of town.
Friday came and we drove back out to El Mercadal to visit the craft centre that had been closed the previous day – Skipper Nigel also took the opportunity to get a haircut. As you know by now there’s always an experience and this did not disappoint when the Barbershop dog escaped mid-way through said haircut resulting in both barbers hot footing it out of the shop to get the dog back, leaving Skipper Nigel and the other chap stuck in their barber’s chairs mid-cut. There was a delay in the haircut but the dog was carried back safe and well and securely put in the back room.
We have had a great time getting to know our lovely pontoon neighbours, French, British, Spanish, Swedish and Finnish. All being stuck in the same situation creates a mini-community for a few days. I had another lovely drive out in the afternoon, chatting with Monica as we took the hire car to pick up her niece at the airport, we found lots of amazing coincidences including places we’ve lived and things we’ve done. We look forward to seeing them back in Yacht Port Cartagena where their boat will be over-wintering. In the evening Monica and Marcus asked if we’d like to join them, Patricia and Frederick and Helena from S/Y Wilma – we enjoyed a fabulous evening sharing amusing stories over good food and wine and delightful company.
The next morning was my birthday – I got up to see the sunrise and we waved off Marcus, Monica and Patricia who had an early start for their crossing to Gandía.
We went out for coffee before I took the hire car back and spent a lovely couple of hours wandering round the old city of Ciutadella. I bought culinary delights from Menorca which we enjoyed aboard before a relaxing afternoon (including reading all my lovely birthday messages).
We hope to move on tomorrow so I took an early evening walk to check out the sea state (much calmer). We are very much looking forward to getting back out on the water although we have had a fantastic week here (even with the rain)
Gemini J looks a little lonely in the port all alone – Frederick and Helena left on S/Y Wilma whilst I was out. It seems very quiet without our little community, hopefully we’ll cross paths with them all sometime on our adventures.
The Adventures of Gemini J 