Palma de Mallorca
Trip Start
Sep 23, 2006
1
5
8
Trip End
Ongoing
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Sunday, November 5, 2006
So I went on my first "trip" last weekend to visit two of my friends from Holy Cross studying in Spain. Not only are they "studying" in Spain, land of the siesta, but they are living on a tropical island in Spain. It was such a fun visit. Colleen and I left Thursday afternoon and stayed in Spain until Sunday afternoon - returning in time to see the Fireworks for Guy Fawkes Day. Palma was amazing - its exactly what you think of when you read the american expat writers - lazy sunny days, and the interesting cafe cuture. On Thursday, Jane met Colleen and I at the airport and helped us get situated at the hostel, the Hostel Regina - which is the nicest hostel I have ever seen! Jane and Cox chose this hostel for us because it was right next to the Plaza Espana - the central meeting point for all the HC-ers in Palma. All the kids studying abroad in Palma live with host families and have "madres". These "madres" act as subsitute mothers for them, and cook, clean and even dote on their host student - It's a very different set up from the independent living situation I have. Jane and Cox had to have dinner with their madres that night so they showed Colleen and I a small tapas place nearby where we could get some mallorcan food before meeting up to go out. We went out to the local bar adopted by the Holy Cross study abroaders - called Hogan's. It's a small english speaking bar where they are able to not feel so homesick and have contact occasionally with other americans and sometimes even other kids our age ( Palma is a huge yatching desitination so they have met alot of kids our age who are the crew on these lavish yatchs -"boat boys" as they call them. My favorite thing about Hogan's was that there was a Holy Cross purple T- shirt on the wall ( Jane is going to get them a new one she said).
The next day - Colleen and I had some amazing coffee and an ensemada ( a flakey pastry native to Mallorca) and then met up with girls to walk around the city. Jane showed us the downtown and shopping area. Cox didn't have to go home for lunch because her madre was away for the day - so she showed us the gorgeous sandstone cathedral and then took us on a walk along the marina and waterfront. That evening we went to dinner at a sushi buffet - it was so fun. The food was all on a conveyor belt and you could just pick and choose what you wanted! Afterwards we went to a discoteque and after a long night ( they stay out soooo late compared to England - as in around 4 am at earliest) we finally went back to the hostel! The next day we went shopping, stopping for some pa am boli for lunch and then went on to do some more shopping - that evening colleen and i grabbed something quick and met the girls for bolleton ( which is a social drinking event held in front of the marina) it was really cool to hear them so fluidly communicate to a bunch of local kids in spanish! The big buzz on the island was the opening of the one and only dunkin donuts in spain in palma. The next day all the HC-ers went to see the newly opened DD. It was a taste of home - a mini taste of home ( europe likes everything small - very small, so all the drinks were kids cup size and the real donuts looked like munchkins haha). It looks like the HC gang in Palma has a new hang out! Overall, the trip to Palma was great. It wasn't beach weather unfortunately but seeing being able to see two of my best friends from HC was great! I can't wait until thanksgiving when they come to england!
