Mallorca - Day 6

We checked out of our hotel after breakfast, loaded up our tiny car, and made the 1 hour drive up to the north side of the island to the town of Alcudia to see the Medieval city wall and the Roman ruins of Pollentia. We arrived right at 10 am when the ruins were supposed to open; we waited for a few min, but no one came to open it so we continued on to see the city wall, which was right across the street. The city wall was really pretty and we even found some stairs so we could walk along the top a small stretch of the wall. We had a fun time taking photos and walking through the cute town, which was mostly within the walls :). Here's a few photos of the walls:

Andy and Carsten by the city wall :).

The streets of Alcudia.

Walking along the city wall!

City wall.

Steps up to the wall.

love the palm trees next to the wall.

Carsten by the wall.

Another gate - it's missing the wall...

Strongman!

Walking along the town.

This kid loves to put buckles together :).

We found a little playground and Carsten made a friend.

They played together for a while :).

After seeing the city to our satisfaction, we went back to the Roman ruins of Pollentia to see if they were open. And someone had decided to open them, so we went in and were greeted with a wonderful view of the ruins. It was pretty hot, Carsten was getting tired, and it was near lunchtime, so we had to hurry through the ruins. I convinced Andy to let us walk all the way to the amphitheater (it was a bit of hike) even though Carsten was almost falling asleep. We ended up making Carsten walk most of the way to keep him awake - poor kid :). All in all, it was really fun to see something that was so old (BC era).

Pollentia Roman Ruins

Love the columns.

Walking along history.

Roman amphitheater

Carsten climbing onto the stage area.

Carsten is all done. Time to go!

Since Carsten was tired and hungry we hustled back to the car to give him a quick lunch. Andy went out and found us some sandwiches while I fed Carsten and then we started driving to the Cap de Formenter, which is a pretty drive through the mountainous NW region of the island. Carsten fell asleep immediately, and Andy once again was a champion driver. We enjoyed the scenery through the windows of the car except for about a minute when we couldn't resist a look out point. Luckily Carsten stayed sleeping throughout the scenic drive, and then we started the ~1 hour drive back to the airport. Carsten woke up partway through, but ironically, after chatting for a minute, he fell back asleep, which was pretty cute. He just couldn't keep his eyes open. We actually ended up driving past the airport because we were a bit early and we wanted to extend Carsten's nap as long as possible. Here's a few photos from our drive:

Mallorca Mountain.

Sleepy dude

Had to get out of the car to see this :).

Proof we were there!

There were a lot of windmills near Palma, I'm not sure why. None of them actually spun.

The rental car was returned, and our check in went pretty smoothly as well. The Swiss Air agents seemed confused that we wanted to take our car seat on board since there was a space next to me, but they let us do it anyway. However, once we tried to board the plane, the flight attendants seemed shocked that we had a car seat and made us leave it at the gate, which was a bit confusing and incredibly frustrating. It seems as though Europeans don't travel with their car seats the same way I'm used to seeing in the US. Oh well, at least we'll know for the future. On our way home the pilot announced that he had requested a special route through the Alps since it was so clear. So we had gorgeous aerial views of the Matterhorn and Jungfrau with the pilot guiding pointing out each major mountain. It was a fantastic end to an amazing vacation :). Here's a few photos:

PRETTY!

What we thought was the Matterhorn. It wasn't, but we didn't get a photo... :).

The valley we took a train through when we took the Glacier Express last summer (Visp and Brig area).

Jungfrau, the highest point in Europe!

The clouds that cloud our view of the mountains most days... :)

Our little adventurer.

Once we landed we got our bags (yay!) and then headed home. It was a late night for Carsten, but worth it for the totally fun day. Also considering the late night, he did great on our ride home, which lucky for us, is pretty typical :). What a great vacation! 

Next up in April: Vienna! 

Mallorca - Day 5

We elected to go into Palma again for the morning so we could go through the royal palace which was located right next to our favorite cathedral. It was nice to go someplace we had already been because we knew where to park and where to go right away :). Unfortunately, the palace was not worth the steep entry fee in our opinion because you didn't actually get to see very much, but the nice part was that Carsten could pretty much run around anywhere because there really wasn't a lot to see (not a lot of period furniture or rooms). The highlight of the palace was the view of the bay (which you can see from the cathedral as well) and the pretty chapel inside the palace. Here's a few photos:

View of the bay

Carsten trying to open the 'door' :).

pretty chapel

We then shopped a little bit and Andy got me some Mallorcan pearl studs as an early birthday present (thanks Andy!). Then we went back to the hotel well before nap time so we could for sure put Carsten down for a nap at the hotel. While Carsten napped, Andy napped up in the room and I went down for some relaxation time by pool where I read for nearly two hours :). All of us were feeling the need for some down time, so we all put on suits and attempted to make use of the splash pad. Carsten took about 10 tries to actually get his toes in the water, but we persisted because he insisted that he wanted to go down the slides in the splash pad. Again, the water was freezing, but did manage to play for about 30 min before going into the slightly warmer indoor pool. After being in the indoor pool for about 15 min, all of us had had enough of the cold water, so we played out on the playground with Carsten and talked with a nice German couple. The playground and hotel were noticeably busier and we found out from the German couple that German schools apparently have a substantial break for Easter, so a lot of Germans come down to Mallorca during that time. It was a little weird to hear so much German in a Spanish speaking country :). Here's a few photos of our pool time:

Carsten in the COLD water.

splash pad

taking a snack break to warm up in the towel

we attempted to go back in, but instead went to the slightly warmer indoor pool

 After supper we walked about two blocks to the beach during sunset. Our beach faced east, so we didn't see it set, but we did get to enjoy the warm lighting that goes with the sunset :). Here's a few photos:

Family photo opp

Carsten walking to the beach.

Father/son photo. LOVE this :).

We were glad that we took a break from traveling in the afternoon, and we enjoyed family time at the hotel very much :).

Mallorca - Day 4

Since the previous day had seen Carsten get carsick, we elected to do less driving and stick a bit closer to the hotel. So, we went to the aquarium that was right outside Palma, and Carsten was THRILLED. He was so excited he just kept going from thing to thing to thing. I'm actually not sure if I've ever seen him more excited than he was for that entire morning at the aquarium. The only thing that really put a damper on the morning for us was that there were throngs of elementary aged children on a field trip to the aquarium that day, and in addition, the outdoor cafe we had planned on eating at for lunch didn't open until 2 pm. The aquarium itself was very nice and it had electronic displays that you could read in your selected language assuming you weren't chasing after an excited toddler. We really didn't get any good photos of the inside of the aquarium because flash wasn't allowed, but here a shot of Carsten and I on the outdoor playground which was about 1/2-way through the aquarium:

sitting on a shark :)

We had planned (we really should stop 'planning') to try to have Carsten nap in his stroller so we could go back through the aquarium while he was sleeping and really take it in. However, between the noisy throngs of children and the excitement of the aquarium, Carsten was unable to nap in his stroller despite being extremely tired. He's never been a great napper in his stroller, but we keep trying :). So, we went to our car to try to go back to the hotel with my sole mission to try to keep him awake. Well, I failed at my mission because despite my singing songs, attempts at humor, and poking his face, Carsten fell asleep within a minute of leaving the parking lot. So, we needed to drive somewhere further away than the hotel and since we had missed our shot at Soller yesterday, we drove back while Casten napped in his car seat. We took the scenic route (meaning hairpin turns) rather than the tunnel to avoid a 5 EURO toll and to extend our time in the car. It was very pretty, and I must say this again: Andy is a champion driver :). We got to Soller with Carsten still sleeping so we pulled into a parking space and he woke up within minutes to the sound of an air-brake from a tour bus. When he woke up, he shouted 'TRUCK!', which was really cute :). We headed into the town of Soller and went through the pretty church at the center of town. It took us a bit of time to find the ice-cream shop we were looking for, but we did eventually find it :). The ice cream was pretty good, but we weren't super impressed. However, the glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice was AMAZING; Andy and I both agreed that it was the best we'd ever had. Soller is in a valley and the valley is famous for its oranges - hence the fresh squeezed orange juice. Carsten also enjoyed the orange juice, but I think he was more impressed with the straw that came with the orange juice. Here's a few photos of Soller:

In front of the church at Soller.

Carsten loved the cones, and didn't so much care for the ice-cream despite what this photo shows.

Andy with the amazing orange juice.

I think Andy's thinking: 'Don't spill my juice!'

We then went back to our car and drove back to the hotel via the much faster tunnel so we could hit the indoor pool. Unfortunately, the hotel did not heat the indoor pool or jacuzzi (who doesn't heat a jacuzzi?), so Carsten and Andy didn't stay in for very long since it was pretty chilly. We then had dinner at the hotel and a relatively early night in the hopes of getting more sleep during the night.

Andy and Carsten in the COLD indoor pool.

All in all, it was a great day! :)

Mallorca - Day 3

After a relatively poor night's sleep (Carsten was awake for 2 hrs saying 'Mama!' 'Dada' and pulling off Andy's covers...), we got up and headed out to Valldemossa, which was a super quaint town where the main attraction for us was the 'Real Cartuja de Valldemossa'. The Real Cartuja de Valldemossa has been many things over its existence: a monstary, royal residence, and the home of Chopin. Carsten was pretty cranky for most of our time here, so we kind of had to rush a bit more than we liked. We did manage to listen to a 10 min piano concert that Carsten really seemed to love (hooray!). Here's a few photos:

Outside of the sanctuary. Yes, there is no front door.

When asked to smile, this is what Carsten does... :)

Most of the island was terraced and seemed to be planted with trees of some sort (orange/olive/lemon).

Piano concert :)

Royal residence area

The town of Valldemossa - very cute!

We grabbed a few things from a grocery store and pastry shop so we could have lunch in the next town or so. However, Carsten threw a wrench in my careful planning for the day by falling asleep shortly after we got into the car (around 11 am). So, what did we do? We saw the sights we wanted to see through the windows of our car which we kept driving and driving while Carsten got some much needed rest. At the end of my list for the day was Sa Collabra which I had thought we'd never make it to because I had a lot of other things on my list. Sa Collabra was pretty crazy to drive to and I have to say that Andy was a champ and I declare him to now be an expert at driving a manual :). The hairpin turns were amazing and frequent, and throughout the turns, Andy had to dodge many bikes and busses (I do not know how the busses make it through that road). Anyway, Carsten woke up shortly before we arrived in Sa Collabra, and we got out the car and took a much needed stretch. Then we walked down to the beach area where we had a very late lunch and dipped our toes in the very cold Mediterranean. Carsten actually cried after having his toes in the water after about 10 seconds; he really doesn't like cold water :). The beach area was beautiful with turquoise waters, sheer rocky cliffs, and a blue sky. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and I'm very glad Carsten thwarted our plans so we could make it to this destination :). Here are some photos:

beach at Sa Colabra

Carsten is crying in this photo... 

Much happier out of the water. The beautiful canyon behind Andy.

Carsten loved the rocks.

We had to go through 2 significant tunnels to get to the beach. Carsten thought it was awesome and kept asking 'again?'. 

Carsten and I at the beach.

Carsten was overjoyed that he got to walk part of the way back. Andy walked with him so I could take photos...

...of the breathtaking scenery!

We then headed back up the twisty road to head back to Soller, where we wanted to stop for the local ice cream. We didn't end up stopping, but it turned out we should have stopped because about a mile out of Soller Carsten got sick from motion sickness. Note to self: even 18 month olds can get car sick on twisty mountain roads. Next time, we'll make more stops even if it causes more angst about getting back into the car... Anyway, at that point, we had to head back to the hotel where luckily we could use a washing machine. It was a great day though!

Mallorca - Day 2

We chose to go into Palma, the nearby major city, for the morning so we could take Carsten back to the hotel in the afternoon for a nap since he had stayed up quite late the night before. We found parking, which was no easy feat, and then walked up into the sunshiny morning to see the beautiful cathedral. The cathedral didn't open until 10 am, which we found to be the case for almost everything in Spain - they have a much later schedule there. The cathedral was breathtaking inside, mostly due to the sun which was streaming in the main stain glassed window causing beautiful rainbows of light all throughout the sanctuary. Andy and I both agree that this is our favorite cathedral so far and is unlikely to be displaced any time soon. We consider ourselves lucky to have been there at the right time and day to see this colorful display:

Light streaming into the church 

Simply stunning.

hanging out in our favorite cathedral

The city wall was right below the cathedral (along with a wonderful little playground for Carsten), so we spent some time admiring the views and playing. The outside of the cathedral was also very unique and I must say, both Andy and I enjoyed trying out our artistic photographic talents.

Andy and Carsten in front of the cathedral

city wall

running on history

future track all-star

After trying to wear Carsten out, we had a quick lunch at a cafe which you're not supposed to do in Europe but we do all the time :). We then journeyed back to our hotel (so grateful for GPS) where Carsten took a pretty good nap. Castle Bellver was next up on the list because of it's close proximity to us, but unfortunately we found out after we made the drive up to it that it was closed on Mondays. Whoops. Oh well. We got a fun view of the outside of the castle and harbor down below, but we'll never know what's inside because we did not make it back there.

Castle Bellver

 Instead of trying to come up with other plans on the fly and because it was already well into the afternoon, we elected to try out the playground at our hotel for the afternoon entertainment. It was an instant hit with Carsten and they even had a in-ground trampoline :). I will have to say that Carsten definitely enjoys playgrounds, and it's much easier for us to let him run around when there aren't older children around (which happened later in the week).

trampoline!

Carsten is terrifyingly good at this and we are afraid that someday he will smash his face.

Carsten loves slides :).

Staying at the hotel for the remainder of the afternoon was a good choice, and we even elected to eat at the hotel buffet, which was very kid-friendly, for supper. We enjoyed that at the hotel buffet we could essentially just come down with a bib and sippy cup and this was nice because for once, we weren't hauling everything around in a bag and stroller :). All in all, it was a great day and I think our favorite part of the vacation was the stunning colors inside the cathedral. Don't worry, there were still a lot of fun things we did the rest of the week, we just felt that it was really unusual to see a beautiful display of colors.

Mallorca - Day 1

We left for Mallorca a week ago on Sunday evening, and while I did not enjoy flying in the evening because Carsten's bedtime gets delayed by quite a bit, it was nice to basically have an entire weekend before we went on vacation for a week. On Saturday, before our trip, we ran errands around town which takes quite a bit of time when you don't have a car, and we had ample time to procrastinate about packing because we said 'hey, we'll do it on Sunday!'. It turns out we should have packed a bit more on Saturday, but oh well, we live and learn :). On Sunday, we slept in as much as possible since we had our daylight savings time change, and then we proceeded to lazily pack during the morning and frantically pack during Carsten's nap in the afternoon. We chose to forgo church since Carsten would not have been able to nap in afternoon due to our 11:30 am church service, the time change, and our 5:30 pm flight. I must say that even though our flight was delayed by 45 min, which would normally stress me out because it's hard to keep Carsten in check at an air port, it was quite pleasant to be stuck in the Zurich terminal because they have a 'family services' area; this means that they have a purposed area for children with toys, cribs, changing stations, and even tables for eating. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have an area like that in an airport, and I think I've said this before, but I now purposely try to fly through airports with children's areas because it's always very likely that you'll be delayed longer than you think you will. Here's a photo of Carsten in the play area with a large truck that he LOVED:

I'm not sure it was intended to be used this way, but Carsten really enjoyed it :).

Our flight went really well, and in fact, we were amazed at how easy a 1.5 hr flight is :). The only thing that was unusual, is that Swiss air would not let us take our car seat on board in case there was an extra seat for Carsten. Perhaps this is only an American tendency, but I do like having the car seat available for use :). We were treated to a view of the island near sunset as we flew in, which was fun. Of course, it was dark by the time we located and loaded our rental car, but luckily it was only a 20 min drive to our hotel from the airport. At our hotel, we had booked a 1 bedroom apartment, which was nice because then we didn't have to sit in the dark in the evenings while Carsten slept. The major downside is that it was 1 bedroom, so we all slept in the same room. This worked great for the first evening since he was completely exhausted by the time he went to bed, but not so much for subsequent evenings. It's a little distressing when your child pulls off your (well, Andy's :) ) covers at 2 am in the morning and says 'DADA!' while he's still in his crib (it was tight quarters).