Kaput is a common term these days that Europe's summer backpackers use which in layman's terms mean finished. Do not dread the day your daughter runs off to Europe with just a backpack. Backpacker travel insurance is available. This concept is not uncommon in the US. Seeing girls walking with their backpacks in European cities is nothing special. The ones who normally catch a glimpse are backpackers who also make their way around the city, some...more
After five great days in my temporary home in the Western Bay of Palma it was now time to relocate and have a closer look at the eastern side of island. I needed to check out today and move into my next apartment in Port dAlcudia. I packed my suitcase and left the Terranova Aparthotel complex which had been a great location to explore the western and northern side of the island.Taking the coastal highway eastwards from Palmanova through the more...more
With my love for the Spanish language and my fascination for Mediterranean landscapes, the island of Mallorca has been one of my dream destinations for a long time. A couple of months ago or so I had finally decided that 2009 was going to be year for my visit to Mallorca. Spring is the perfect time to visit southern Europe the weather is usually great, and the hordes of Northern European tourists have not arrived yet.So I had booked a very affordable flight from Graz to Palma de Mallorca with Flyniki, an Austrian-based low cost airline that flies to a variety of popular tourist destinations across Europe. It is owned by none other than famous former Formula One race car driver Niki Lauda. Around mid-morning my brother dropped me off at the quaint Thalerhof Flughafen south of Graz, Austrias second largest city. There I met my friend Gary who was going to come along on this trip.After a brief coffee on the outdoor terrace we were ready to board our flight and barely an hour and a half later we landed in the capital of Mallorca, Palma de Mallorca. Shortly after picking up our luggage and our small rental car we were off to our first destination: Finca Son Point in the village of...more
I love unearthing small, quirky cocktail bars in London. When you open the door, you get transported to another world, a magical world away from the hustle and bustle of London. After a lot of searching I think I have found my three favourite quirky bars! 1) Bourne and Hollingsworth (West End)Walk down the stairs, off Charlotte Street...more
On my last full day in Mallorca my plan was to explore the eastern part of the island. I had spent the vast majority of my time in the north of Mallorca, where the dramatic Serra de Tramuntana mountain range had held an almost magical spell on me. Today my destinations were on the eastern part of the island.Around 10 am I left Port dAlcudia and...more
After a tasty home-made breakfast on the balcony of my studio apartment in Port dAlcudia I was ready to head out for a full day of explorations. Somehow, the northern mountainous part of Mallorca has an almost magical spell on me. I had already spent the major part of my entire first week on this island in the northern Tramuntana Mountains, and I just had to go back there today.So around 9 am I headed out in my little rental car and started driving westwards on Highway C713. I exited at Binissalem, a small country town with less than 7000 inhabitants in the shadow of the Tramunanta mountains. Binissalem used to be a major wine-growing region until the late 1800s when the phylloxera plague destroyed most of the vineyards, some of which were replaced by almond trees. Wine has been growing here as early as 121 BC when it was introduced by the Romans.Today, Binissalem is a quiet town with a pleasant main square that was mostly frequented by locals this morning, doing their early morning shopping. I strolled down one of the main streets and came across a large open grassy field that was hosting the towns weekly market this day. Dozens of traveling merchants had put up booths to sell...more
We had thoroughly enjoyed our drive through the Tramuntana mountain region yesterday and our discoveries in the town of Sller. After a restful night of sleep I got up at 8 am and walked to the main house of our rural hotel, Finca Cas Sant, to use...more
Our second day in Mallorca greeted us with bright sunshine. After a restful night at Finca Son Pont, we got ready to have breakfast in this historic rural hotel. Tables were set up in the shady inner courtyard and we were going to have breakfast in...more
Our second full day in Mallorca started with an early morning stroll along the Pine Walk promenade in Port de Pollena, a beautiful seafront town on the northeast side of the island. The expansive Bay of Pollena was shimmering in front of us in...more
Our location in Palma Nova on the western bay of Palma was very convenient with one exception: several of the hotel guests came home between 3 and 6 am in various states of inebriation and were hollering loudly to each other. Their incomprehensible...more
As the late afternoon sun had come out, I was continuing my action-packed day in Prague. After a guided tour through Pragues Jewish Quarter, a savory and informative lunch in Pragues oldest kosher restaurant, followed by a tour of Municipal House,...more
One of Pragues key attractions is the Jewish Quarter, the former Jewish ghetto of the city. So on this bright, yet blustery day I strolled from my hotel on Wenceslas Square over to Old Town Square to meet my personal tour guide for the day who would...more