Sand crunches under our flip flops as we slurp along the city promenade towards the supermarket. The small town Colonia de Sant Jordi, in the south of Mallorca, is just waking up from its lethargy and tries, despite gloomy future prospects, not to let anything show, even to keep the business running as good as possible.
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| Colonia d Sant Jordi Mallorca |
Due to the latest travel warnings, the mood has dropped to a low point. Unlike on the net, where people are upset about their fellow countrymen's desire to travel and make clear verbal gestures to express what they think about it, people here have quite different concerns. Fear of existence is a fear that you can see in people. Not only does it paralyse action, but the facial features become hard and the eyes sad. The Spaniard himself is proud, but during this time only few can stand the gaze, and after a short time it is lowered and one tries to distract oneself with one's work. Luisa stands next to a pile of tablecloths, plates rattle and cutlery is taken out of a wooden box. I know her name because a few days earlier we had ordered some tapas in the bar next door and Luisa was called by a colleague. Funny thing about thinking when I learn Spanish vocabulary, I just can't remember the words, but the name that was called by chance remains in my memory. Maybe it was because of the excellent tapas we had eaten that day. Luisa is one of few who still has a job, some bars and restaurants here in town are closed, and that in the middle of the high season. The promenade is still empty at this time of day, but it will not fill up much during the day, just too few guests. While Luisa starts to set the tables, we continue our way to the supermarket. Inevitably I ask myself for whom she is doing this, in my thoughts I wish her that a few guests come today. In a side street we find a fruit and vegetable market, which we want to visit on the way back, as it promises reasonable prices. In the supermarket we buy only the most necessary things since we still haven't gotten used to the prices in Spain. A bottle 1.5l mineral water, costs here in the cheap variant 0.69€, in Italy times straight 0.17€. There we are still looking for alternatives. This can be found with fruit and vegetables in the above mentioned market. Here the prices are 30% cheaper than in the supermarket. Heavily loaded we bring the shopping to the port at the Dinghi Dock and load our waterproof bags into our dinghy. On the way back Luisa was not to be seen anymore, the tables were set and waiting invitingly for guests.
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| Platja d`es Carbo |
Jump into the water and swim ashore, I said to Gaby, she always plays hard to get and always has a bit of respect. Then she always needs a little encouragement from me. We are still lying in the bay Platja d`es Carbo and have planned a beach walk to Colonia de Sant Jordi. The number of boats in the natural park Cabrera 15 nautical miles south of us, is limited to only a few boats. A buoy must be reserved through a website. The buoys can be booked three weeks in advance and are hopelessly full in August. We got one three weeks ago, for two days, and are now waiting here for August 21st. The water is crystal clear and 27°C warm, Gaby tackles the 200m to the beach, I follow her with a waterproof bag containing our clothes. The beach is wide and only few find their way out. There is no trace of dense crowds, as it is often reported in the media. On the contrary, yawning emptiness describes the situation more appropriately. We dry ourselves in the sun and walk along the beach, the three kilometres to the little town. In the harbour there are mostly small motorboats and in front of the entrance there is a field of buoys, as there is probably not enough space in the marina. A little further in front of it there is the possibility to anchor.
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| Tapasbar Colonia d Sant Jordi |
We find a small tapas bar and take a free seat. In only a short time we have become fond of these tapas. We order an anchovy olive skewer, small grilled green peppers (one of which is said to be very hot), tortilla and calamari. Topped with toasted white bread with a garlic cream. Someone calls Luisa, and I see a young woman visibly tormented under her mask in the heat of the afternoon, fulfilling her task of serving the few guests. Certainly not an easy job, but the fears of the people drive her on. So Luisa will continue to do her job, regardless of the garbage that is posted in Facebook and Co.
How we liked it in Cabrera and what we experience at our next destination, Ibiza, you will find out in our blog next week. Until then fair winds and keep a stiff upper lip.
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| Board catering on the Katinka |
https://www.noforeignland.com/boat/5619486585520128?sid=6083432710930432&tc=1576319441080
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