Feb 21, 2010 Sunday - Santa Ponsa Mallorca

By Jim.
Well I should have listened to my better concious and spent more time on the balcony of our room here. We over look the Med in the Santa Ponsa Bay. The vie wis incredible with those greeny, bluey, carribbean looking waters. I can sit there for hours just relaxing and staring out... But,,, oh no I didn't!

I had some work to do! You see Im still working Real Estate from over here and yes technology is wonderful but at times frustrating too. We had a couple of internet hiccups so I fell behind a bit. I needed to work on a proposal for a Home Builder back home. It seems they like us and want us to market a few homes and perhaps their whole project. So this could be a huge bonus for us. Add to that every day we are getting enquiries on other stuff, so work I do and discipline is hard but must be utilized, even when the skies and ocean are so soo blue!

So in thinking that today (Sunday) would be the same I got up nice a early and poof - there it was GONE!
Again no blue sky - but at least it was warm in the double digits. Well it was soon to rain too. So instead of rushing back to work we went for my only 2nd North American meal while here. This was Burger King! We got drenched on the way home. Most of my meals have been local or Italian in nature.

We are doing well melting into the culture. Our Spanish is becoming more automatic with out even thinking and especially Barb who picks it up better than I? So, no cultural shock really at least not now. Its been about 1.5 month since we left and in fact when I think of it we have been living out of a suit case for 4 months now!

Im amazed at all the people that are here now in Santa Ponsa. Obviously the Tourists are slowly starting to arrive. Many are Spanish but the most are from Britain and Germany. In fact our hotel is full of Germans. Some of them are getting on in years and a little deaf so it sounds like they are yelling at each other in german which is so foreign for us. Almost scary when memories flood back of TV shows of WW2 in my youth. But Im sure they are very nice people, just a little gruff some of them.

A lot of things have happened over the last few weeks. I must say we are really starting to settle in. When we first got to Barcelona I (Jim) got the Flu (but my food posioning story sounds better) and guess where I spent much of the next 3 days. Thats right! Hugging the white porcelain! Man Im glad that one is over. Its no fun being sick when you cant be home and to make it even worse; overseas in an un-familiar bathroom and bed.

Once I was able to get up and going again we ventured into the streets day and some evenings too. Barcelona is a nice city. We were told initially it was about 1.5 million but later on we learned its likely a trading area with all of it coming in at about 5 million and with all the buses, cabs, subway and people that seemed more correct. A nice city with lots to see but not sure I would rush back. Still just a big city.

One thing we are not getting here is the Olympics. The Spanish are more into Soccer (Football) and not much into the Olympics. When we can score a British channel in some pubs they have it on and we get our updates of what Canada is doing. GO CANADA GO!

After that we went to Seville and what can I say. From the airport we took city transit into town via a rail car then switched at the central train station to bus (or was that Barcelona?) at any rate we were on city transit. We got off where they told us (thankfully some understand english - but careful they all don't!). We walked about 30 minutes for a 10 minute walk only because we always get a little lost and turned around (should have brought the GPS!). But the map finally saved us!

As we got closer to the area we knew we were staying in I simply fell in love and it just got better and better! Quaint little Pubs, shops, stores and very old buildings, many of them restored and many of them small boutique hotels. We found ours and wow. It was owned by a local family and what a great job they did. Nothing fancy, not very big either. You had to tip toe around the bed the room was so small but so what - it was fun! But it was great and it was clean with crisp sheets! Unlike Barcelona it was much quieter too!

Rule one: Bring Ear Plugs for some of these areas so you ca sleep.

We stayed 8 nights in Seville at about $50E/nite including breakfast (Barbs getting to become a Barterer, Im proud of her!). In the mornings we would have the included breakfast and then lunch would be in a pub and diner in a nice restaurant of either local fare or Italian! Most prices were reasonable.

Jim's recommendation: try Iberico Jamon (Cured Ham), its is awesome. Just don't look at it first because the hoof is still on it when they slice your pieces off. Like a lot of other food here (including sea food) I don't like it looking at me before I eat it! (Eyes and heads still on etc - Im too North Americanized).

One night we attended a Traditional Flamenco.
You must do this as Seville is where Flamenco started and was born. I was surprised as I thought it would sound Spanish but it sound more Arabic in their singing. The dancing I recognized - the only thing they didn't have on was the Black Flat Hats! I still don't know how they can move their feet like that and into such a rythym!

The best part for me in Barcelona was the little corner pubs. They had to be Spanish to be special.
The prices are usually much lower there and especially if you eat off the main streets and away from the tourist areas. If there is no price on something make sure you ask first! If you eat up at the Bar its generally cheaper for the same item. Add to that they are usually a lot more fun. Spanish ones are cheaper than American or British outlets.

So as of Friday we flew back to Palma and are staying in Santa Ponsa again but on the sunny side of the bay. We rented another car. This one is a diesel Citroen. It seems to make more gas than it uses. Even all the BMW's here as are most cars - are all diesel. Its great!

I think Ill buy a smaller car when I get home! Barb has become the designated driver. It seems in the second half of our lives together she's found the new love of Driving and I get to sit back and enjoy her most capable job of getting us from A to B. Tomorrow I hope we get to the Puert de Anthrax (Spelling is off?). Its a great little Port that I wish we could stay at! Small cozy and cool and of course it has Jim's all time favorite - A Marina with boats!

On Tuesday we fly back to Barcelona for a one night layover then Weds we fly into Naples Italy and take a bus down to Sorrento on the west coast of Italy. I cant wait!

After a few days in Sorrento we are going to meet some friends in Rome and stay with them in a Hostel. For the next four days we will see the historical and Biblical sites of Rome. Wow we lucked out meeting them, such nice people and they invited us to join them! Im sure this will be a big highlite of the trip.

After that Barb will have a few days left and I expect we will spend them somewhere in Italy. Perhaps up in the Chinq que Terra (spelling?) which is just beautiful. Then after that Barb has to fly to London and then fly back to Calgary. After which she will go spend a couple of weeks with her Mom. So Ill be alone for 3 weeks here.

During this 3 weeks that Barbs away I will stay by myself and likely in Italy. Pray for me! Im looking for a safe affordable place on the coast somewhere that has a small community where I can meld in and become part of and easily enjoy my days and relax with the locals.

You likely know we would rather not do what the tourist's do anymore nor hang in the those areas. We want to be in the real areas where the real locals are and amongst them. So thats my goal for while Barb is away. We need to get going on planning this ASAP to keep costs low.

Budget is always a concern for me. Not so much for Barb as usual. This doesn't mean one is wrong or right. Just the way our brains work. When dealing in Euro's one must watch. Somethings are the same price but in Euro's. So we stay to the local Spanish shops and not the tourist ones. (Groceries too).

Our next challenge is going to be changing fro Spanish to Italian here shortly. IM not sure how this will work out as there are some simularities in some of the dialects so we need to get the Italian book and get to work!

Excuse my writing and grammar. Im sitting in the hotel Lobby and Im so tired I can see the keyboard! So bear with me!

Talk to you soon and we will try to update this Blog more often that in the past! PS if your on Face Book thats where the pictures are. IM looking at maybe uploading them to Googles Picassa system too to try and make it easier for some of you.
Cheers! Jim M.