Monday 2nd April 2012
Breakfast was available in what might have been the palace wine cellar, and then I became a tourist by getting a local bus west around the bay of Palma to a small place called Cala Mayor. I was looking for Edificio Delfin, at 279 Avenida Joan Miro, where my late parents-in-law had owned a small flat. I had located it on the internet (thank you Google) and I knew this place quite well many years ago; I also remember several other residents, including a young Paula Yates, who was at a local school, and her parents. It was a short visit but sad to see such an empty sandy beach. The two local hotels were being renovated and obviously not going to be ready for Easter, so I presume bookings must be low. Another bus took me towards the city again, but I soon decided to walk along the delightful promenade back towards the Cathedral to take a harbour tour. Yes, the little MARCO POLO was sailing again this year so I paid my Euros 12 and enjoyed a sunny trip around various parts of the bay to see the ferries and cruise ship.
I discovered another interesting local restaurant that evening, in a busy backstreet, and was sitting enjoying my meal when suddenly two huge doors opened opposite the restaurant. Goodness me, it was a church and another procession started right before my eyes! A catafalque appeared from around another corner, the silver wheel was turned and it did a neat right-angled turn, to come to a halt nearby. A robed person appeared with a tall step ladder, climbed up and flicked his cigarette lighter to light a long taper, and proceeded to light the candles around the top of the catafalque. One of his colleagues watched his progress, whilst flicking his own cigarette lighter to light his cigarette, and several others flicked their mobile phones open and made calls. The procession formed up, hundreds more hooded figures appeared from the church, the brake of the catafalque was removed, and the amazing procession disappeared from sight.
Ships seen: Island Escape, Super-Fast Galicia, Super-Fast Baleares, the yacht-carrier Artisgracht, private yachts belonging to Michael Schumacher and Mohammed Fayed, Salem, Marco Polo (harbour tour) and Harmony II.
To be continued...
