A Day Trip - Lluc > Cala Sant Vicenc > Pollenca > Port of Pollenca

It was a Monday, July 27th, 2020.  The temps were going to be in the 90's (30+ C).  At 10:30 am,  I hopped on my motorcycle for a nice, cool trip in the Tramuntana mountains and a few port towns under gorgeous smog-free blue skies.

Lookng at the map below, you can see the route I took. I left Palma and took the freeway through the flats to the town of Inca.  From there, I passed through Caimari and Selva (which I passed through in a recent blog trip) and up into the mountains, heading for Lluc...a place I hadn't been before.  After visiting the monastery there, I continued until I arrived in the TOWN of Pollenca.  Just outside Pollenca I took a side road to check out the gorgeous setting of Cala Sant Vicenc.  Then I dashed over to the PORT of Pollenca.   To head home, I had to go back to the TOWN of Pollenca, back to Inca, and the freeway (autopista) to Palma.

The town of Selva sitting on a knoll.

Looking over to the town of Caimari

SANTUARI DE LLUC

Santuari de Lluc is a monastery located in the Tramuntana Mountains at about 1,700 ft.  The church was completed in 1691.  It's an oasis of tranquility and spirituality that include overnight accommodations (81 rooms and 39 apts), restaurant, museum, gift shop, botanical gardens.  There's even a Boys Choir that 'performs' regularly.  The area is a popular place to set out on hikes and/or cycling.  Nearby is a large area of picnic tables and, a little further, an area for camping.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

No, that's not water cascading over rocks.  That's the actual rocks etched by wind and grit.  Looks like it's melting!  "Someone left the cake out, in the rain..."

POLLENCA

The town of Pollenca (or Pollensa) is about 4 miles inland from its port, Port of Pollensa...which is a beach resort town.  The TOWN of Pollenca has a population of about 16,000 whereas the PORT of Pollencas' population varies dramatically based on season.  Pollenca is not so touristy, its residents are mainly islanders.  However, that doesn't mean there's nothing to see here.  It's known for the 365 steps to Calvari, the scene of a moving procession each Good Friday when a figure of Christ is removed from a cross and carried down the steps by torchlight.  There's other sites I didn't catch while here, such as an old roman bridge still in use, the Convent Santo Domingo on top of a hill, and the church of Santa Maria on Plaza Major.

Calvario Chapel

365 steps leading up to Calvari

Looking over Pollenca

In the distance is the town of Alcudia

CALA SANT VICENC

Located about 7kms (4.5 miles) from the town of Pollenca is one of the smallest resorts in Mallorca.  The town is arranged around four little cove beaches and is great for snorkeling.

Peninsula Formentor looming in the background

Cala Sant Vicenc is also home to another interesting site, but I didn't make it there this time.  It's the Alzinaret prehistoric caves dating back to around 1600 B.C., in the Middle Bronze Age.  It is a necropolis located a block or so off the main road just before you arrive in town.  Here's a link to a website where you can read some basic info and see photos as well.

http://arqueomallorca.com/en/ficha/necropolis-de-cala-sant-vicenc/

I was back home by 4:30pm after logging upwards of 70 miles.

NOW FOR THE VIDEO!!!

With my new GoPro camera mounted to the top of my helmet, I recorded the entire trip for you to view.  I edited it down to a mere 42 minutes (MERE!!!) and added some cool features such as music, still photos, commentary, etc.  Don't worry, I added an Intermission!  Grab your popcorn and settle in!!  I hope you enjoy viewing this gorgeous island!

Click on the video image:

 Or click here:  https://youtu.be/AxpEpftr39w

Stay Tuned...

Who knows what I'll blog about next!!!

Dano

By the way, if you're interested in viewing any of my past entries about travelling around Europe and where I live in Mallorca, simply scroll down past my signature to the end.  There, you'll see 'Blog History'.  You can click on any Month/Year to see the titles I published at that time.  Simply click on the title you're interested in and it will take you to that page.

Bopping Along Palma's Waterfront on a Kick Scooter (with GoPro)

JULY 2020

This year has been warmer than normal.  We usually don't spill into the 90's until August, but this year it was happening mid-July.   We had several days teetering at 99!!!  As such, a lot of people took to the beaches in the evenings to cool off, not be in their hot homes, and enjoy stunning sunsets.

Last month, I purchased an electric kick scooter.  They're very popular here, but for those who don't know what they are, imagine a motorized skateboard with a handlebar.   The electric motor is in the front wheel (some models in rear) and the long (and heavy) battery is under the standing platform.  The handlebar and tower can fold down so you can carry it (for example up stairs to your apartment for charging).  From there, options vary.  For instance, I have rear disc brakes, cruise control, a front shock absorber, headlight/tailight/side lights, and air-filled tires (vs solid).  Some models CAN go faster, but local regs require the max speed to be no more than 15mph.  Depending on the size of the motor and battery (plus the drivers weight) the distance you can travel on a single charge can vary between 10-20 miles.

For this blog segment, I decided to take you on a little trip along the Palma waterfront.  It's a great scene taking in the beaches, coves, yachts, small fishing boats, sailboats, bicyclists, skateboarders, rollerbladers, joggers, dog-walkers, volleyball games, outdoor cafes, etc etc, oh....and eye-candy.  Palma has an amazing 12-mile long promenade that stretches from the cruise port all the way to El Arenal with an exclusive bike path adjacent to it.  Palma places a lot of importance on bike paths throughout the city.  In fact, there's a project currently underway to remove one lane of traffic along the marina waterfront so the promenade for walking can be widened and the bike path separated from the pedestrians.

The image below shows the path I took.  Leaving my apartment (blue dot) I scootered down to the waterfront (black line), then along the marina area (red/yellow line) and back.  Then I continued on the (yellow/brown) line all the way out to the 'doggie beach' under the airport flight path.  The yellow-only line shows how much further the promenade continues.

Unlike while riding my motorcycle where I clip the GoPro to my helmet, for the kick scooter I attach it to the handlebar tower (cuz I don't wear a helmet).

Ok, so let's head on out shall we?  Full Disclosure:  This epic movie is 37 minutes long.  I know, I KNOW!!  And, that's AFTER I edited out a lot of  _______!!!!  If you don't want to watch the entire thing in one sitting, you have a few options (aside from not watching at all!!).

1.  Stop it and take note of the minute/second timer at the bottom.  Then, when you're ready to watch more, simply start the video and slide the bar at the bottom to that same position and continue watching.

2.  If you're impatient and just want to 'get on with it', slide the bar ahead (showing the parts you're passing in fast motion) and let go of the slider when you want to resume normal speed.

As always, I highly recommend NOT watching this on a teeny tiny (albeit VERY expensive) cell phone screen as you'll miss a LOT of detail.  Far better on a larger screen like a laptop or PC or even connecting via HDMI to your big screen TV!!  I-pad users.....hmmmm.....okay.

Oh!  Also, don't forget to click on the little box in the lower right corner to expand the viewing screen to full-size!!

Hope you ENJOY!!!

(click on the video image)

or

Click here:  https://youtu.be/kKsVBywuvYU

Stay Tuned...

Who knows what I'll blog about next!!!

Dano

By the way, if you're interested in viewing any of my past entries about travelling around Europe and where I live in Mallorca, simply scroll down past my signature to the end.  There, you'll see 'Blog History'.  You can click on any Month/Year to see the titles I published at that time.  Simply click on the title you're interested in and it will take you to that page.