Long Walk, Easy Day

Mallorca turns out to be unlike any other place I've traveled to on my own. I quickly learned that this island is not really geared for lone travelers who are simply seeking for a simple escape, including accommodation and roaming possibilities by foot. Of course, it's not like there are signs saying No Walking Aloud, but this island just isn't made for that. With the exception of the west coast where there are trails which are quite touristic as they are in every single guide book. This island is made for the following tourist types: young families with children, older couples in their golden years post retirement and then the eager young kids and couples coming here to party and go crazy. Of course, there are the royal families who come here but that's beyond my world and understand of theirs so I can't comment on that. After backpacking through Asia, South America and India, Mallorca is certainly a plain destination compared to the rest. It's a beautifully breathtaking place but the tourism here has made it a run of the mill package holiday destination. Of course it's different if you're a local living here, it's a lifestyle but it's not for me. You have to drive everywhere if you want to get somewhere else, the public transport is not so helpful and in general, this place lacks a certain spark for me. You know, when you meet someone and you feel a certain chemistry and excitement? Well, it's the same with places, you come somewhere and you get a feeling from it. The feeling here is bland for me. Granted, maybe if it was easy to meet other people then I'm sure my opinion would be a bit different. But this place is good to raise a family or hang out with a group of friends, neither of which I have here. But I just have to make the best of it while I am here eh? :) 

So today's mission was accomplished when I arrived to Sa Coma, a nearby beach town. After an hour and a bit of a walk along a boring road most of the time, I reached the resorts and silliness of this beach destination. On the way I did find a giant rat that was run over by a cat and a cute sign in the Spanish style and colors, warning about a dog. It looks like the dog took a chunk out of the sign as well!   

When I arrived to Sa Coma, it being very much geared for tourists, did in fact have a couple places with a bigger selection of books in English than I saw in Porto Cristo. As I thumbed through all the English titles available, I was saying a mental "no" to either serious detective and crime novels or silly beach reads, which neither in my mind were worth paying eleven euros for. I knew I wouldn't find anything cheaper so I vowed to find the best (and biggest) book to occupy my next few days with. Fifty Shades of Grey cover caught my eye. As I just finished reading a really well written, passionate yet tragic love novel, I was in the mood for more steamy head spinning scenes. Although, I would have liked to read something a little more meaningful but finding anything like that here was out of the question. So, with not many options, I "settled" for the novel which everyone was so eager to go see in the theaters in London when it was released as a film. 

After getting myself to the farthest end of the sardine lined beach (that's what I call the package tourists) I plopped down to dig into my new book and get some swimming sessions in. I spent a few hours at the beach and got through a little more than a hundred pages of the book. I can see the appeal of it and why everyone was so eager to see the film. It's certainly intriguing and does a very good job at taking you away from wherever you are, which for me was not a bad place at all, and transporting you to the moments the main characters are experiencing. If I wasn't so tanned already from the time I've spent in Mallorca, you could probably see me blushing during the more descriptive bits of the book. 

My writing was interrupted by an exceptionally creepy waiter at the little cafe I say down at for a cup of coffee and a croissant. Why do men insist on being so creepy and weird sometimes?! It's like they don't have a filter which would tell them to be more respectful. I guess that's nothing new there, just a small interruption in my ramblings about steamy scenes from the novel. I paid and left to have my peace again and walked over to a beautiful inlet surrounded by limestone formations with the middle part, a crystal clear, almost high definition blue water and a few people floating around, enjoying the sun. It's nearly six in the evening but for all I know, it could be midday, except for the sun above isn't as scorching hot. The days are so long here, I love it. But with so much time on my hands now, I sometimes find myself wishing for the sun to set sooner as it seems like the days go on forever. I scold myself for having those thoughts as I know that when I am not here anymore, I will be reminiscing for these days to be back with me. 

Ok so this little motivational thought allowed to stop writing, walk along the cliff path and walk down to the little cove which I bypassed last time. It's a tiny sheltered beach with only a handful of people but the slogan here is "no clothes allowed". I happily complied and nearly ran down, threw my clothes off and leaped into the beautiful crystal clear water with only my birthday suit! What a sensation, feeling the water on your skin with no interruptions of fabric and constrictions. It's truly an experience unlike any other. Also it's quite different than skinny dipping because that implies secrecy and adventure. Here, in the little magical beach, this is normal. I feel free, happy, natural, and grateful. And yet again, what a lucky duck... 

I think I have a solid plan for tomorrow; nude beach, Fifty Shades of Grey, a light lunch, fruit and plenty of water to take with me. It's a date!