I was beginning to worry yesterday that another day in Palma was a day too much. Should we have gone to Pollenca today instead? However, I had a bright idea... what about the charming and very old train that leaves from Palma, and travels over the mountains to the town of Soller? I had always wanted to do this trip, and now was a perfect time!
This morning Keith and I made sure we wore our masks down to breakfast, and we were greeted with smiles by Dragon Lady. Apart from the annoyance about her shrieking, I have to say she worked extremely hard while we were at the hotel, constantly clearing tables, wiping down surfaces and replenishing the breakfast foods, so I did forgive her a bit!
I had researched the train trip and discovered that it ran a couple of times a day and that 10.30am was the last trip over to Soller. We all made sure we were breakfasted and into a taxi by 9.30am, and he dropped us off right next to the terminus. There was a train at 10am but it was already full. However, despite the queue in front of us, there were about 140 seats still free on the 10.30am train so we were fine. We had to decide which train to return on, and we chose the 4pm departure.
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| One of our tickets |
The date and times are printed on your ticket. Woe betide you if you try and get on the wrong one! We waited a little while, but then we were allowed onto the train, and we chose the last carriage. There were at least five carriages ahead of us so plenty of room for everyone. We had soft seats but there wasn't a lot of legroom. I expect people were smaller when the train first went into service in 1912!
The first part of the journey wasn't that exciting, as the train traverses several streets in Palma and winds out into an industrial area. The thing that amazed us was the amount of graffiti we saw, and the shuttered shops. Was it because today was a public holiday, or was it because it was the winter?
Once out into the countryside. the views were more appealing. Olive groves, old fincas, goats and sheep grazing, and orchards of lemon and orange trees. In front of us towered the Tramuntana mountain range, and we soon came to the first of the thirteen tunnels of the trip.
The train makes two stops before arriving at Soller - Son Sardina and Bunyola - and I expect you could join the train here if you wish. It takes about an hour to get to Soller, and the longest of the tunnels was six and a half minutes! That's a long time to be in a tunnel! I enjoyed the trip out immensely, and the train stops for a little while to allow people to take photos of the mountains and the town of Soller below.
From Soller, your ticket can include a half hour's tram ride to Puerto de Soller on the coast. We went there when Sophie was just a few weeks old, but we had driven over the mountains from Pollenca, which was quite hairy! I'm glad I hadn't been driving!
Our ticket included the tram fare but we decided to stay in Soller (actually, that's not true... we decided to explore for half an hour and missed the tram, and there wasn't another one).
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| As you can see, masks were compulsory on the train |
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| The tram |
A mass of people descended onto the town, most of whom do take the tram to the coast. There was a cute Christmas market taking place in the main square, overlooked by an imposing, ornate church.
We decided to have a hot drink first of all as it was quite chilly. We sat outside and ordered hot chocolates and an Irish coffee for Keith who was feeling very cold. The delicious thick chocolate revived us, and we took a look at the market, and then the shops in the narrow streets leading off the main square. Soller reminded me a lot of Pollenca!
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| A colourful display of vegetables outside a grocer's shop |
I think Keith and Zain were getting a bit fed up with wandering about (something Sophie and I could have done all day) so we headed back to the square for lunch. One restaurant was doing a roaring trade, both with people dining inside and out, and we took a table by the window.
Sophie and I fancied Sangria so we ordered a jug while Keith had a beer and Zain chose a soft drink. For our meals I opted for a duck salad, Keith had fish and chips, and Sophie and Zain feasted on various tapas. The food was very good and my duck salad was lovely.
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| My duck salad |
After lunch. we ambled about a bit more and then decided to go back to the cafe we visited this morning and have a drink. Keith and I had a Brandy, and I fancied a slice of almond cake along with Sophie. You just have to while in Mallorca!
We hadn't seen any trams returning to Soller so we did wonder whether we'd have been able to get back in time for the 4pm train! We slowly walked up to the station and waited half an hour to board. There weren't many of us at all and I think we were all squashed into one carriage. The return journey was on a different train as the seats were wooden slats and quite hard. Keith and I sat on the left-hand side and we were treated to some beautiful views.
We saw some very old olive trees with ancient gnarled trunks that were almost twisted in on themselves, as well as sheep grazing, and derelict buildings left to rot in remote fields. I have often wondered what it must be like to experience a winter in Mallorca, and I should think it's very quiet!
All too soon we were back on the outskirts of Palma and some decidedly seedy surroundings. What a contrast! We left the train and caught a taxi back to the hotel and I started to pack in readiness for our departure tomorrow.
Roaming the streets.
Keith and I weren't hungry but we fancied a drink, and maybe some of the little saucers of tapas that were on offer in the bar next door. Only it was closed... so that was that! We wandered about and took the road that curves around to the right along the beach but a lot of places were shuttered up, and the ones that were open were proper restaurants.
We took one of the residential streets that led back onto the main thoroughfare, and nothing took our fancy at all. We decided to buy something to drink and then go back to sit in the comfortable lounge of the hotel. Keith wasn't feeling 100% so he wasn't bothered, but we found a small supermarket and I bought a bottle of cava and some plastic cups. Not really what I had in mind for this evening!
I then decided I fancied a pastry from a shop near our hotel so we went and bought two little quiches and a sweet pastry. Back at the hotel we settled ourselves onto one of the sofas in a quiet corner and relaxed. Sophie came down and had a cup of cava with us and we sat and chatted for a while. Neither she nor Zain were hungry after the big lunch we'd all had, but she said they might go out later.
Keith and I sat in the lounge for a while, and two young lads came down to play pool. The whole area was comfortable and stuffed with squishy sofas and looked to be hardly used. I would have thought it could have been better as a restaurant?
Our evening "meal" over, we returned to our room to do some more packing and look forward to Pollenca tomorrow!
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