We had a relaxed and low-key Christmas morning and were delighted to see the sun shining when we opened the shutters. It was warm enough for Sophie and me to sit in the little courtyard and enjoy a coffee, and a little later we used up the last of the bread to make toast. I also peeled potatoes and Brussels sprouts for our planned Christmas dinner tonight.
I put a load of laundry on to wash and used the bathroom in the courtyard for my ablutions! The shower cubicle in the main bathroom made me feel claustrophobic yesterday and the one in the courtyard is far more modern!
After we had all showered, we walked to the car to visit Puerto Pollensa and were surprised to see one of the little bars at the bottom of the steps open. People were making the most of the sunshine, sitting and enjoying an early drink or coffee. Café Espanyol, U Placa and the small bar where we'd had our hot chocolate were closed, but Club Pollenca was open, and two couples were sipping Cava.
Surprisingly, Puerto Pollensa was busy and as we negotiated the roundabout by the marina, several bars were doing a roaring trade! We parked the car behind the town and walked in, deciding to stop for a drink at a seafront restaurant, which was buzzing with people enjoying the gorgeous sunshine.
Families strolled past, and some children were playing on the beach. Everyone was well wrapped up but in the sun it was pleasantly warm. Only the chill wind occasionally reminded us that it was December! We ordered drinks and spent a couple of hours chatting and enjoying the ambience.
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| Cheers! |
It was so lovely sitting in the sun that we lingered far longer than we'd anticipated. By 2pm we decided to have a couple of tapas dishes for lunch, and Keith chose a tuna sandwich. Sophie and I ordered nachos and patatas bravas, and the food was very good indeed. The restaurant had been doing a roaring trade all morning so there was some sense in staying open in the winter!
Christmas on the beach!
Reluctantly, Sophie paid the bill (it was her treat) and we strolled slowly back to the car. From the car park, we set off towards Alcudia but then doubled back when the inland road met the gorgeous coastal route. We drove back towards Puerto Pollensa and marvelled at the stunning views of the town and the mountains towering over it.
We parked the car on the side of the road, opposite some beautiful apartments and houses. Sophie wanted to dip her toes into the sea, so that's what she did!
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| Our little Ford |
There was hardly anyone on the beach, except for a couple of families and people walking dogs. It felt wonderful to be near the sea and admire the stunning views. The coastal route between Alcudia and Puerto Pollensa has always been a favourite drive in our family. We walked back to the car and decided to visit Cala San Vicente before going back to the house.
Again, the drive around the headland and down to Molins Beach is breathtaking! Last time, this section of road was closed, which was disappointing, but today we were able to drive around and see the stunning views. The sea looked rough, with big waves breaking against the beach and rocks. We parked the car in the convenient car park and I won 5 euros from Keith as we'd had a bet about whether the Bar Mallorca was open - it wasn't!
Sophie and I went down to the beach which was littered with driftwood, including some large tree trunks.
We walked a little way towards the headland where the waves were really violent! Every now and again a tall column of water would erupt from a hole and there was a constant groaning, like a malevolent sea creature beneath us!
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| You can just glimpse the spray from the hole |
There were a few people about, but not many, and we strolled back to the car noting the new hotel opposite the beach. It was firmly closed up but I would guess this area is busy in the summer. This was the first time we saw the finished hotel as, before on our visits, it was still being built.
Back in Pollensa, everything was so quiet with hardly anyone about. All the shops, bars and restaurants were closed (as we expected them to be) and we walked slowly back to the house where we relaxed. I wanted to see the sun set at 5.30pm so I went up onto the roof terrace. I could see curls of smoke where people had lit fires and the sky was hazy and peach-coloured over towards Puerto Pollensa. At 5.30pm, the church lights came on and it became much chillier. Time to go down to the warm living room!
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| Rooftop panorama |
Keith had the heating on and a small radiator emitting heat but the house has been cold. These old stone houses are designed to be cool in the summer but they're a little chilly in winter. We used the blankets that had been left for us and settled down to read. Sophie and I enjoyed a delicious Mallorcan white wine while Keith drank beer. There was nothing to watch on the television but we did catch some tennis later in the evening. As we'd had a substantial lunch, we decided to postpone our steak dinner until Saturday and eat at lunchtime on the sunny terrace.
Keith was unable to get warm this evening!
When we went into the dining area to have pizza and salad for a light supper, we were all frozen! The fluctuations in temperature are huge! In the sun it's warm enough to sit out with just a tee-shirt, but once the sun disappears you remember it's definitely December!
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