Palma, more of the same?

Right in front of the queen's apartment

Rule #1 : Never compare islands

How spoiled and obnoxious is this Queen?

She sees one Balearic island and she cannot be amazed anymore.

So I made it to Palma, safely and on-time. No delays, no cancelations, no issues. But I arrived here with a prejudice in mind. I was told that after Ibiza, Palma will not impress me. I was told that if I liked Ibiza, I will not like Palma (and vice versa). I was told Palma is touristic, crowded, and has a different vibe.

It does have a different vibe. But my whole setup here is different:

My balcony

First, I am lodged like a Queen should be: Beautiful spacious apartment well above my means.

I am provided with absolutely everything I could dream of. Amazing views right from my bedroom window, flawless Internet, infinite square footage, tasteful decor, a swimming pool, a beach right under my nose, plenty of little shops at walking distance, a parking spot. Not exactly Les Miz.

The reason behind this luxury is a long story that starts with "A friend of a friend had a nice place in Palma..." and ends with "I got a good deal".

I arrived here with my nose up. Ready to be disappointed, annoyed at the tourists, longing for the laid back and friendly atmosphere of Ibiza, expecting not to find it here. Like I said above, spoiled and obnoxious.

Cathedral of Mallorca

It turns out the island of Palma de Mallorca is gorgeous and beautiful. Granted, it is bigger and more industrialized than Ibiza. True, I do not have Anne here, next door, to take me to adventures. And yes, there are highways here, and tourists, and lots of resorts. But it's ok.

There are also very nice places to visit, a very vibrant city life, and adorable villages you cannot stop taking pictures of.

There is history all over, well preserved. There is art and architecture. I was told that Gaudi made his imprint here as well. It is a gem, a bigger gem maybe, a more flamboyant one, but still a gem.

Gaudi had a moment here

The big city in Palma is also called Palma. So far, I only went there and to a very picturesque medieval village called Valldemossa.

Valldemossa is not to be missed. A completely different atmosphere than Palma, still a bit crowded, but located at the top of a mountain range, it offers spectacular views and charming old streets.

I bought a hat. Another hat.

It is a Queen thing.

As usual, for more pictures, stalk me via Polar Steps

Rule #2 : A new island, a new virus

It appears that the Queen's immune system is not of the best in the market. Maybe all that inbreeding...A day after my arrival here, the familiar and undesired sensation of a sore throat made its appearance. I knew it was a matter of time before I find myself in a Farmacía.

This time, it evolved into a military-grade sinusitis. I have all the vocabulary now to handle myself pretty well in the local pharmacy. I have to say that both in Ibiza and here, I have loved the pharmacists I met. Very knowledgeable and helpful, they gave me all kinds of tips and natural remedies.

I wrestled that sinusitis like a champion. It took a day and a half of every drug I know and steam breathing above my luxury stove top, but I can declare the battle has been won. I can breathe again.

A bit worried that I am unable to leave a plane without taking with me a sample of the local virus.

The Queen of Hypochondriacs is on the case.

Rule #3 : Friends will find you wherever you go

Look who I ran into in Palma de Mallorca?

Naama and Maya were also spending the weekend in Palma and we certainly maximized the opportunity.

Tapas, Galleries, Cava, Old Buildings, Shopping, we did not leave a stone unturned. All that with a brewing sinusitis and a hat, I am a legit hero.

What's next?

Next week, Grand Queen Irene, and Lesser Smaller Queen Agnes are joining me for a week of vacation in my Palma quarters. A dream come true.

Did I already mention that I do not regret doing this nomad thing?