Flew direct from Zurich to Majorca with Swiss. There was a brilliant blue sky over the island and we could see that it is quite mountainous on the Western side. There was no trouble for us picking up the car, although we had to backtrack on the upgrade they offered (it turned out to be some kind of people-mover) and drove away with a Clio instead. Got lost instantly. Spent a good 30 min driving around down-town Palma amidst far too much traffic for comfort before finding a road out of town. Therefore, we reached Fornalutx much later than planned and then drove the length of its one narrow and winding street looking for any clues that would match up with the directions we were given. Eventually, we parked the car and tried again on foot. After marching cluelessly about we gave that up too and just called the caretaker to come and rescue us. He showed up pretty quickly and walked us to the apartment, he gave us a short tour of its facilities and then bade us goodnight. We did a little food shopping, then picked up the car and parked it appropriately, and were thus moved in within an hour. At which point I promptly broke off the door handle. We called the caretaker, who came around and puffed his cheeks over it for a while. We could still close the door with the key so he said that he would look into getting it repaired tomorrow (which turned out not to be possible, in fact it remained unrepaired for the duration of our visit). We walked back into town and found a restauranter who would feed us. Drank a bottle of red with dinner and topped that off with some sort of Majorcan liquor (called Tunel, dry or sweet or half and half and with or without ice). This, of course, was a mistake - because it inspired dreams to disturb Dali and a morning hangover.

Slept ok, but could have done without the headache. We crept out of bed just before 10am and found that the weather outside was bright and sunny. Today we were going to have to do some heavy-duty shopping and we were not certain as to how long the shops would remain open. In the car we raced down to the main town in the area (Soller) and drove aimlessly around hoping to spot a supermarket or something. Gave that up, parked the car and decided to just follow people with empty shopping bags. This worked pretty good and we found the Saturday street markets in full swing. This was enjoyable for looking around and picking up what we could. We also found the main market hall and did some serious shopping there. I picked up a large fraction of a pig while Leila hunted for veggies and other necessaries. On the way back to the car we dropped into a small shop to pick up some extra stuff. Found a butcher closer to where we were parked so we went in there and bought a very large chicken for Christmas dinner and some sausages for tonight. Hauled it all to the car and then drove back to Fornalutx to put all the food away. After filling the fridge we dashed back to the car and drove tiny narrow roads to Port Soller to have a look at its marina before the afternoon drained away. Port Soller was very nice and we stopped at an outdoor cafe to sit in the sun and enjoy a late lunch. After this we walked along the marina for a while, with the warm afternoon sun feeling good on our shoulders. By the time we got back to the car the sun was low in the sky and it was clouding over, so we drove back to Fornalutx again using another scenic route (narrow switchbacks between multi-tiered orange and olive groves). Late in the afternoon we walked around Fornalutx a little bit to get our bearings, heading back to the apartment as the sun went down. That night we cooked a simple sausage, tomato and pasta dish for dinner. Probably the humblest christmas eve dinner we had had in some years. Watched Casablanca before bed.

Slept well and woke at around 9am. Breakfasted on toast, avocado and cheese. Leila was interested in doing a bit of a walk, so at about 10.30 we set off for what would turn into a 15 km death-march up into the high hills north of Fornalutx, getting back by 2pm. It is a beautiful area, the sky was absolutely clear and the sun was warm. No wonder we were just content to just keep going on and on. Mum and Dad called me as I was gasping to keep up with the motoring Finn. Happily my folks were in good cheer, having dinner with friends, and it was nice to hear their voices again. Struggling upwards through endless olive groves, the point came when we realised we had to get back early enough to cook Christmas dinner. Therfore we aimed our feet back to the village. We returned by the main road and then down the goat-trail above town, my knees were near to buckling. Back in the apartment Leila immediately set to work while I collapsed onto a chair and spent a determined 30 minutes in recovery. At length I too entered the kitchen and chopped and diced and peeled as ordered while the fantastic Finn, dervish-like, whipped a truly experimental Christmas dinner into shape. Midway through this process Lara and Martijn arrived at the doorstep wanting to be let in. Hellos all round, they unpacked while we scrambled about the kitchen helping most of a pig exchange places with a hugely stuffed chicken in a small oven. These were decidedly desperate moments and there was much doubt concerning several points of order. The dining room table was moved out of the icebox-like (and anyway distant) dining room and into the warmer lounge, set with plates and cutlery and then what food that was ready was brought out. First we had baked pumpkin, then the sweet potato box was served, and then we waited for most of a pig to be done. At the table the pig, actually the unseparated racks of porkchops still attached to a spine, was dissected in democratic fashion and - in absurdly large hunks - devoured at length. All the while two bottles of red wine were giving their utmost. Suddenly we were full. Very full indeed. The giant chicken, enduring a final roast in the oven, was going to survive the evening after all. Amazingly, a lot of washing up was completed before we all collapsed in front of a movie. Slept like very, very sleepy people.

Had breakfast with Leila in the kitchen while L&M slept in. We settled on having a lazy morning and so were still around when the other two roused themselves out of bed. Just after midday L&M went off to Port Soller to go rock climbing there and Leila and I drove the mountain road to Pollenca to explore the wild northern coastline. This took quite some time as the road was narrow and winding for a good 60 km. Just south of Pollenca we stopped to eat the sandwiches we had made for lunch (Pork and jam, Leila's creation, was interesting. I had made a couple of cheese and jamon for balance.) and look down on the valley. It was only partly sunny, somewhat windy and definitely cool (12°C), so we didn't hang around long. We drove straight by Pollenca and on to Cala de Sant Vicenc where we had a look at a tiny beach community tucked in between steep rocky headlands. Everything was closed and Leila was hankering for a coffee somewhere so we moved on. We then drove all the way to Cap de Formentor, which is the northernmost point of the island and has a lighthouse situated on some high cliffs. The road was in good shape, but it was very narrow and very, very winding. The coastline was really steep, with cliffs rising several hundreds of feet straight out of the sea, and when the sun came out it all looked really amazing. Unfortunately, the cafe at the lighthouse had stopped serving coffee the instant Leila walked in the door - so we decided to just get the hell out of there. It was getting late in the afternoon and neither of us were interested in taking the mountain road back to Fornalutx, so we opted to return via the eastern plains using an excellent (and fast) highway. It was still light when we returned to the apartment, having put about 200 km on the odometer for the day. L&M returned with news of their day. They had gone to Port Soller and looked through fences at potential climbing spots that they could not reach. Then they went north along the mountain road past Fornalutx and found C'an Nyic where Martijn did one climb, but it was too bloody cold. So they went further to Gorge Blau and found that this was also fenced off. So they gave up and decided to head to Port de Pollenca, but due to a wrong turn only got as far as Callobra. Oh well. To compensate, dinner in the apartment was quite nice (giant stuffed chicken) and we finished the night off by going to a local bar for a drink.

Woke to a steady rain. Everyone was up and breakfasted before the caretaker came around to demonstrate he had no clue about the non-functional internet or the leaking washing machine, he DID take away an empty gas cannister for one of the heaters to get it refilled in the port (maybe). Like the front door handle, both internet and washing machine would be simply off-limits to us for our stay. Our caretaker was not looking to be the most inspiring chap in the world. L&M doggedly set off to find a climbing spot protected from the rain, which seemed to have tapered away by the time they left. Leila and I drove to Port Soller, where it was raining only a little at first. But as we sat in a cafe we watched as it began to really pour down. Our plan was to walk south along the waterfront and then up to a lighthouse at the entrance to the cove. We decided, gortexed and umbrella'd as we were, that we could still do this and resolutely trod out into the intensifying weather to begin our walk. A bright flash and jarringly loud thunder frightened us back to the car and into thinking that, just perhaps, we might postpone that walk. So instead we drove back towards Soller and then turned south along a winding coast road, stopping at Deia to walk around (by which time the rain had stopped again). It was well after noon, so we decided to have lunch and feasted on some spectacularly good tapas - at which point the sun finally come out of hiding. We then settled on our final plan for the day, which was to walk down to Deia's cove and have a look. Which we did, and it was pleasantly wild and rustic and decorated with ancient wooden remains of what might once have been a tiny fishing harbour. We walked back to the car via the upper cliffs and there had very nice views up and down the coast. We returned, stopping briefly at Soller for coffee and hot-chocolate, to the apartment. L&M arrived a few minutes after we did, flushed with a comparatively good day of climbing (the score was; Lara 5 routes, Martijn 4) and a tree story. That evening the four of us went down to Port Soller to a fish restaurant (Maqueil?) which was really very good. We consumed much food and two bottles of wine. Martijn, the evening's designated driver, suffered only a little.

Woke relatively early and we were out of the apartment just as L&M were rising (i.e. 11am). We were resolved to follow through on yesterday's original plan of hiking on the coastline south of Port Soller. The weather was much improved. First we dropped into Soller to browse the tourist traps and pick up some pastries for our lunch. Minutes later we were parking in the random back-streets of Port Soller yet again. This was a very nice walk, around the Port's waterfront and then up to the lighthouse overlooking a brilliant sea. The snooty restaurant we found up there was unwilling to give reasonable service and so we didn't hang around very long. We walked on and, more or less immediately, took a wrong turn which wasn't recognized for some time. We had hoped to follow a sea-side trail but were beguiled by some official hiking signs into wandering somewhere else entirely. It was still pretty nice and the weather was mostly sunny. Ancient olive groves and terraces remained a feature, but the coast was never in sight. Eventually we looped back to the Port to our car, having covered about 10km of walking. Returning to Fornalutx Leila deposited me to nap on a couch while she went off to expend the remainder of her excess energy by walking around town. When L&M returned we had dinner of pork/chicken soup and pork/chicken rissotto. We watched half of the Aviator and then went to bed.

Woke later than planned. Just managed to share breakfast with L&M who then headed out for a day on the east coast. We finally got out of there around 11am and headed for the Island's southern tip. The weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm, all day. First we went to a glass-blowing factory near Esgleieta which we explored for a good 30 minutes. Then we headed further south to Port Andratx via some of the most spectacularly beautiful coastline wilderness that we had seen so far (passing through Banyalbufar and Estellencs). At Port d'Andratx we parked the car and wandered around the marina looking for somewhere to have a light lunch (which, when we found it, was very good) and review our walking options. Leila picked out a path which would take us over a hill and into an isolated cove. The first part of this was through an area under urban development and very boring, but then we crested the saddle and found ourselves looking down onto a wild and undeveloped coastline. The sea shone under the afternoon sun and a light wind sighed through the trees. We were completely alone. The walk down to the cove was very easy and we spent some time down there enjoying the last light of the day as it splashed the world with burnt orange. Probably the best place we had found so far. The return was a bit cold as the sun set and the wind picked up. We were back at the car just after dark. Drove home via Palma, and despite there being lots of traffic it wasn't too difficult. Back at the ranch we found that L&M had already returned from a warm and enjoyable day of climbing out east. Martijn was making dutch pancakes for dinner, which were just awesome. Watched the rest of the Aviator before bed.

Woke late as usual, L&M beating us out the door by a good hour. Leila was unwilling to get in the car again so we agreed to walk down to Soller. It was a grey and blustery day, but there was no rain. After a few km of olived terraces, we passed through the orange grove-buffered hamlet of Biniaraix which lay like flotsam on the shores of Soller itself. We followed the line of a dry 'torrent' until it led us back to Soller's main square, nearby which we sat in a cafe to warm up with a light snack. After this we hawked about the square looking for a restaurant which could harbour us for new years eve and do it at a price not rapacious. Having found one (Cipriani's) and made the required booking we then got on one of the island's few electric trams (one carriage, stuffed to bursting with tourists and annoyed locals) to ride its wobbly rails back down to our favorite haunt - the Port. In Port Soller and disgorged by said tram, already beseiged by hordes wanting to return to Soller, we wandered slowly along the main street beside the marina, looking for another cafe (more for warmth than for anything else). We eventually entered one and found it to be a true gem. The menu looked excellent and the fellow serving us very genial. So we settled in for a full meal, Leila ordering delicious bass and stuffed egg-plant with tomato salsa for me, each of us enjoying two glasses each of a wonderful local wine (Cab Sav blended with Montanegro - which is a local grape). This really was fantastic. Outside the weather couldn't choose between flashes of sunlight, scads of cloud and constant blustery wind. Fat and happy, we caught a taxi to get back to Fornalutx. That night we had dinner with L&M in a local restaurant (we tried to be good, not having starters or dessert, but the wine flowed like a river yet again). Tried to coordinate a joint venture for the next day, but it seemed chancy - even then - that we could effect the conjunction.

Woke early enough to be in the car and on the way by 10am. L&M were only about a half hour ahead of us, the plan was to meet at a small beach on the east coast. After about an hour or so of fairly dull driving across the eastern plains we had reached Porto Cristo and turned south along a small road along which we knew L&M were parked. By some small miracle we recognized key signs and found the tiny layby which had their car. The walking path was obvious and within half an hour had found them playing on some cliffs right beside the shore of a beautiful little cove (Cala Magraner). The weather was absolutely spot on, enough that Leila changed into a little red summer dress. After snapping some photos of our climbing friends we went for a short walk to try and find a way onto the headland overlooking the sea. It was warm! Not knowing the correct paths we more-or-less just bushwacked our way to the point and took some photos from there. We also found a trail which took us back to the cove. Back there we settled by the shore to lie in the sun and watch L&M climb up and down the cliffs. After a couple of hours I was getting hungry (as well as slightly bored) and managed to winkle Leila out of her comfort zone (no easy task) to return to our drive and hunt down a cafe for a very late lunch. Back at the car and back on the road we headed south towards Portocolom. Everywhere we stuck our head in said they were closing down to prepare for new years eve. We stopped at a gas station so I could get a couple of sandwiches and Leila and icecream. With a long drive back to Fornalutx ahead of us we decided to get started while it was still daylight. For once we did not get lost and eventually reached the apartment with enough time to shower and rest before L&M caught up with us again. That evening we dressed up a bit and caught a taxi down to Soller and went to Cipriani's as pre-arranged. Dinner was pretty good and came in several stages with a couple of bottles of wine, but the pork wellington defeated us all. We could see through the window onto the square and watch as hundreds of people were gathering and an outdoor club with DJs and huge speakers had been set up. With mere minutes to spare we were given our grapes and hustled out into the surging mob. At midnight the bells began to toll and everyone began eating their grapes (this is a truly weird custom) and then cheer enthusiastically for the new year. The mustic got going and we stuck around for another hour and a bit dancing with the crowd in the square. Really good fun. Then we picked up a taxi and returned to Fornalutx, and there joined the smaller but no less enthusiastic and crowded celebration in its relatively tiny town center. One of us reminded the others that we still had half a bottle of Dalwhinnie which needed drinking back at the apartment. There we repaired and sat and drank and talked until about 4am when it suddenly dawned on us that if we weren't cautious the sunrise would soon suddenly dawn on us. So it was off to bed.

Breakfast was held at noon on the terrace upstairs. Bacon, eggs, fried onion, toast, jams, cheese, tea, coffee, etc, a warm and sleepy meal as we sat soaking up the sun and not deciding on very much to do with what was obviously going to be a glorious afternoon. Leila and I discussed the merits of going to Port Soller to there do very little indeed. Beyond shuffling around bits of the Port that we hadn't seen yet, this is exactly what we did. Eventually sitting for several hours in front of a cafe in the sun and trying to soak up as much of it as possible. L&M came down later and did much the same thing. Leila proposed that she and I walk around the cove looking for a restaurant, which we did to no effect. L&M knew of a place near one of the climbing areas they couldn't reach on their first day. This was open but was not serving food. We sat there for a while having a drink and watching the last light fade from the sky (the view was of the sea and very nice). Back in the car we headed back towards Fornalutx, we had during the day noticed a restaraunt open on the main road about halfway between Soller and Fornalutx. This was closed in the evening. In Fornalutx we had a fourth option in mind, but that too was closed. Undaunted (i.e. still hungry) we drove back to Soller and, finally, in the main square we found a place that was open. The food to be had there was simple but satisfying. Oddly enough nobody was in the mood for wine. After this sober meal we returned to the apartment in Fornalutx and had our dessert (spanish pudding con leche) and watched a movie before bed.

Slept in. Saw that the sky was grey with cloud. Slept in again. Breakfast consisted of whatever was left in the kitchen. Since this was our last day the plan was to finally go and see Palma and find out what all the fuss was about. Things went ok until we reached Palma, then somehow I my capacity for driving ran dry. I dont drive very much, we haven't owned a car in over a decade. When we go on holidays we sometimes rent one. This fading familiarity makes driving, sometimes, a bit stressful. Palma doesn't have that much traffic, but it's concentrated, and I had had enough. Damn car stalled, twice! Changing gears became a complete mystery. We were quite lost for some time. Fortunately we parked, same place as L&M too, before I had driven us into the bay. The four of us found lunch at a seafood restaurant for lunch. We did get this and it was good, however it took time and we were worried about missing our flight back to Zurich. Didn't though. Nope.