Saturday Aug 31, 2024, Alaro, Spain

Quick post before tennis!

I arrived here on August 28, very jet lagged! My trip went pretty well, just long…a drive from San Diego to Los Angeles (3 hours including returning rental car, the usual traffic and the ride to the airport, and walk to terminal), LAX to CDG (Paris), then CDG to PMI (Mallorca). I was worried about the short connection in CDG, but didn’t need to be…even though I had to pass customs and take a long bus ride from 2E to 2G, the plane had arrived 45 minutes early and I didn’t have to go through security again at 2G, so had an hour wait there.

The rental car process wasn’t very simple…I reserved an automatic, but they gave me a manual so I had to go through the return process and get a different car. It was busy, the staff wasn’t very helpful and it took an additional hour or so.

I’m staying in Alaro, a typical Mallorcan town (more later), which basically has no parking so I probably wouldn’t stay here again for that reason. My parallel parking is not the worst but is not quick, and there always seems to be an impatient driver behind me honking! There is a town parking lot which is mostly full all the time and last night I got home late, so am quite a long ways from my apartment (which, like all the ones I seem to rent lately, up two steep flights of stairs with no elevator). Once in the apartment though the view is great. I’m right next to the town square. On Friday night there was something going on till after 3am…not loud music or anything but loud conversation and definitely a lot of alcohol involved.

View from my terrace, the bells start ringing around 6am.

First stop…grocery store to buy delicious Padron peppers!

Very narrow streets…this one does not allow parking.

I’ve trained three times…once on Thursday (I was very bad…jet lag) and twice yesterday (causing me to return late, hence no parking especially on Friday night).

Alaro is famous for the nearby castle and hike…may try it tomorrow.