EVEN RAIN IS EASY TO LOVE IN MALLORCA

by JURGITA

It feels like hovering over a mug of freshly brewed jasmine tea in Mallorca now. The tree that is currently blooming here must be some distant relative of the tea we so like. The scent is especially vivid after the rain and there was no shortage of it. In fact, we only saw clear sky once we landed back in the UK. Ha! Go figure! The weather had it's last laugh on us.

We got over the fact neither shorts nor shades will be of any use by the first morning and once we've swallowed that, the weather no longer mattered. We drove convertable, we enjoyed meals and coffees on the enclosed terraces, we embarked on long evening walks and managed to survive without umbrella and without being drenched. London training, perhaps? :)

Mallorca is quick forget-it-all getaway for us and we are developing a pattern: the same area, the same hotel, the same car rental company... I doubt it will cease to be favourite as it already feels like coming back to somewhere we know very well... No planning involved, no thinking required. We know, what we like best and head straight there - the mountains in the west. Any place/port/village between Estellencs and Sa Calobra can put anyone off holidaying anywhere else (at least) in Europe. The life there doesn't change that much. It's determined by the season and subsequently by the lack or excess of holidaymakers. The less is more to us here. We love deserted resorts. We love to have promenades to ourselves. We love half empty restaurants. We love going anywhere off-season even if it means the weather might be not as expected. We can (and do) adjust our expectations accordingly.

It's a shame all courteous and good looking guys from Marina Luz's staff were gone (that can serve as the only consolation to you, Gitana!), not that the (less appealing :D) girls were doing any worse. On all other levels the hotel remains as good as it was last time and I would happily return here once again (even though oldish German tourists will not turn into humming and blooming beautiful crowd ). This time hotel came as a bargain at £300 for HB in pool view room for 3 nights. We also happened to notice another possible choice for place to stay further along the shore towards Palma.

The Best Coffee prize this time must be given to Cappuccino in the town of Valldemossa. We were put off by it's location (on the main drag) during previous times, but had to thank the inclement weather and allow our jaws to drop on Sunday. Place to return, perhaps even for a meal, once passing.

Something-Fishy award goes to-ooo... Es Port in Port of Valldemossa. It's a must to feast on fish if you are by the sea, but God help should you find yourself in this tiny village with this sole restaurant in the middle of summer. Though it will be worthwhile the waiting, providing you are not too hungry and can wait, as your reward would be fresh out of the sea. Go for it but be warned, their card machine rarely has a signal. Good old cash will save the hustle going to the nearest cashpoint and it is a LONG (although beautiful) drive to it!

The Dessert of the Weekend must be the Orange Soller in The Village Café of Deia. Yummy, not too sweet and, although ice cream based, not too cold even for a rainy afternoon.

Ryanair delivered us there and back for £200; we've spent 10eur on a return bus no 21 journey airport-Can Pastilla; 2 days in convertable Peugeot 307 60eur + 30eur for petrol.