High Sierra

Well actually Sierra de Tramuntana. The range of mountains that form the NW Coast of the island of Mallorca. We were at the tip of this range at Cap de Formentor yesterday and the whole range is not surprisingly a World Heritage site.

Today we headed up there despite it looking cloudy, as today is our 40 th Wedding Anniversary ( see Big Moment Feb 3rd ) and we came here on our honeymoon. This range of mountains with their wonderful views of the sea and terrassed towns is the main reason we have returned to the Island four times now,

Heading up into the cloud on twisty roads we negotiated lots more cyclists, goats and sheep with bells around their necks quite happy to sit in the road. Eventually we broke though into the sun and this was our view down into the valley of Fornalutx and Soller. We had just passed some remnants of snow at the side of the road at this point too but we were now heading down to our main destination of Valledemossa.

On the last day of our honeymoon we coppered up to hire a car, you were limited in those days as to how much currency you could take with you, and had to pay a 5,000 peseta deposit. We had a Seat 600 and up into the mountains we headed. ( We were in the south then staying in Paguera. It wasn't too built up, Magaluf hadn't even been built.)

After amazing coastal and mountain scenery we came to Valldemossa and the Real Cartuja, the former palace became a monastery when it was given to the Cathusian monks in the 14th century. It is famous now as Chopin stayed here with his lover George Sand in the winter of 1838 - 1839 after the monks expulsion in 1835.

In 1975 we didn't have enough money left to go in! So today we have made up for it by visiting the monastery and palace and even hearing a 15 minute Chopin piano recital. It was lovely and we had warm sunshine waiting for us outside so we could to sit and enjoy a drink in the square.

Back in 1975 we returned our car and got our pesetas back so we had an very good last evening in the bar!

Out for a celebratory meal and drink or two tonight too!