Mallorca, Running, and Riding the Bus

Friday we began a round of Zone Conferences in Palma de Mallorca, so we flew over Thursday evening, arriving about 8:00 p.m. After checking into the hotel, we decided to find a little restaurant somewhere nearby (as dinner time was approaching). So we went for stroll along the Born, and finally realized why the wealthy Europeans all vacation in Palma! It is one of the most beautiful cities we have ever seen. There was a full moon rising over the Mediterrenean, sailboats in the harbor, the spectacular cathedral on the hill overlooking the bay, and a gentle breeze coming in from the sea. Unfortunately, we did not have a camera, but the photo at right shows our hotel and the cathedral in the background.

Friday we had a great zone conference with the 12 missionaries in Palma - we have 8 Elders and 2 Sisters on Mallorca and 2 Elders on Menorca (to the East).

My running has been sporadic at best, but I did get in a few runs this week and remembered to take a camera on one of them. I generally run up on Tibidabo, the mountain behind our house. There is a running/biking trail about halfway up the mountain that is level and well maintained with no cars allowed. It has beautiful views of the city and the sea - a great way to start the day when I can do it!

Along the Carretera de les Aigues

Looking out over the city, the Sagrada Familia and the Mediterranean

We have had a very full ten days without much of a break, but we were ablt to take a few hours today for a little excursion. Our goal was to ride the bus - something we have not yet done. So we decided to visit Parc Guell, the famous Gaudi designed park which is not far from our home - probably a 30-40 minute walk but a 10-minute bus ride. We checked the bus website, determined which bus to take, figured out where to get on and get off and how to pay. So we are learning (with a little help from a local at the bus stop - who accepted a pass along card and gave us his telephone number). Parc Guell is incredible. We visited it briefly when we came here a few years ago, but didn't realize how large it was and how much there was to see. It was designed by Gaudi as a private gated community, but they only sold one lot so the developer, Guell, donated it to the city as a park. It was built around 1900 and looks like something out of Dr. Suess.

Hna. Hinckley at Parc Guell

The view of Sagrada Familia and the Sea from Parc Guell

Sunday we plan to go to Church in Badalona, just north of Barcelona, where we will see Elder Close and his companions...