Monday night:

I am here in Mallorca for some red clay training…but also to explore the island a bit. This week I am based in Binissalem, about a half hour outside Palma, the capital, in the central part of the island. Binissalem is known for wine, and also for its church dating from the 15th century. It has a plaza surrounding the church and it’s been hopping since I arrived…today is some sort of of a national holiday: either Feast of Saint James the Apostle or Santiago Apóstol o Día da Patria Galega (aka Galician National Day), or both. The plaza was full of people all day and night, and there were food trucks galore surrounding it.

The church is huge in this small town but didn’t appear to be open for visitors…I’ll try again later.

After getting organized this morning I went out to explore. I was also eager to find a grocery store within walking distance. I found one, and it was packed at noon, but wanted to see if I could find a Spar or Eroski…two were shown nearby on Google Maps and were shown as open (both were closed), but a third store was open and was well stocked, only a block from the square. It was hot by then, so I was happy to have found an air-conditioned respite for a few minutes!

After lunch I decided to try and see the glass works the Gordiola Glass factory and museum. After a rough start (I kept making wrong turns exiting Binissalem), I finally found it only to find it closed, even though it was marked open. The wrong turns took me down a road marked as 2.5 meters (just over 2.5 yards) wide (the weeds on the side of the road touched the car on both sides…and it was a 2-way street!) and then exiting the glass factory, took me down roads that were little more than cow paths (2-way streets of course). When I hit a gravel road it was like sailing down a highway!

I decided to hit the store near where I was hitting at 7pm, Alcampo, a grocery and household goods store which is huge and comprehensive. I picked up some things which wouldn’t wilt in the heat, then went to play tennis. It was pretty warm, but not windy and pleasant at that time of day in the low 90s.

Tomorrow more tennis, not much exploring again till Wednesday.