From here to There

The difference between worlds can be very interesting and disorienting. In the case of India and Mallorca, Spain, the difference is very acute. I may have been told at some point a little about Mallorca, but I was not prepared for the wealth that is apparent here.

Stone buildings centuries old seem to be nested in with newer buildings that harmonize nicely in form and material. Even the hotels along the marina and harbor edge seem to be at a scale that adds rather than detracts. They’ve achieved what few places have in terms of city planning that is beautiful.

This is up in the mountains nearby…

People are very well dressed, and all the cars look new and perfect. There is a large marina right next to a wide pedestrian walkway that follows the waterfront for about a mile and a half. There are big and little boats of all kinds,including mega-yachts. No matter the size, all the boats look very well maintained. I have not seen one car or a single boat that looks derelict or funky. The streets seem very clear of debris (well, again, extremely different than India). But what I appreciate the most is how incredibly fresh the air is. I have not been in fresh air for almost six months! There was always haze or smog even on the coast in Goa, where for days on end we really didn’t have a sunset. The sun would fade into a milky froth that hovered over the water on the horizon.

Claire arrived several days after I did, and we’ve both been very warmly welcomed by my friends, Gloria and daughter, Thea. Gloria and her husband own the Ashland restaurant Blue-Greek on Granite. She’s been working with Jean Houston for the last few years, and last year Thea returned here to live in the casita on their property where others were renting the main house. This is where she grew up, and the family loves this place, but haven’t actually lived here for over seven years. Only a couple of days prior to my arrival did I have any idea that Gloria would be here, but we’ve arrived at a pivotal time of change for them, as long-term renters moved out March 1.

My gift of good timing seems to continue to reap dividends, as we’ve been invited to stay here, and were able to add two more sets of working hands to pitch into getting the place spiffed-up for realtors and rental agents to show the place. It’s been a wonderful win/win for both sides.

While we were in Palma the first few days of our stay, Claire and I visited the cathedral just walking distance from our hotel. This is a shot of the amazing pipe organ with the stained glass windows splashing colors on it.

If I’m remembering correctly, it took them two centuries to build it, and it does take the breath away, as many of those old cathedrals can do. We were there on Sunday, so we heard the sacred music accompanying the mass and the magnificent pipe organ.

Gloria’s friend, Riad, took us in hand, yesterday, for a great hike along the north coast, then to lunch, and then to a favorite beach. So we’ve had a nice escape from all the work at the Finca, too.

So now I’m on the home stretch, and I’ve double booked my complete itinerary of flights home with Expedia, as I hit the complete booking button twice, due to on-line lag time…YIKES!!! I wonder how much money they make on errors like this! I can’t call them because neither Claire’s nor my own phone will work here, and Gloria and Thea have gone out for a long mother-daughter dinner tonight. I’ve been very uncomfortable sitting with this very expensive mistake I’ve made, hoping to get it set right as soon as possible…but hours have gone by now….My oh my, the things we go through to get from Here to There!