Mallorca was a pleasant place to visit, and I can certainly recommend it. Although there are plenty of the ugly high rise developments that mar the coast of Spain, there are also plenty of places that remain virtually untouched. The mountains provide much of the scenery, and there are lovely beaches for swimming. Throw in some good food and a bit of culture, and you could do far, far worse. In fact, I really wished I had more time…
Here are the highlights of my visit to Mallorca:
1. Drinking a thick chocolate and eating orange sorbet made from local oranges while watching the harbour in Palma at Grand Cafe Cappuccino. It’s a chain, but they know what they are about.
2. Getting a bit of culture at Fundacio Joan y Pilar Miro. I have always loved his paintings, and this combines a museum with his house and studios. It’s quite a thrill to see where he painted some of his great works.
3. Cafe Cortado – This the preferred drink for a lift in the afternoon. It’s usually a double espresso with a dash of steamed milk served in a small glass…
4. The raw beauty of peninsula Formentor. Even with all the coach tours, this place is unmissable. If the road gets too windy and you get too hot, there are a few good beaches to jump in and cool down.
5. Swimming in the cove at Cala Pi, on the South Coast. You have to climb down a steep set of stairs to access a perfect beach with protected waters.
6. Tapas. Every one seems to agree that La Boveda has the best, and I can’t disagree. They were sublime!
7. The public transport buses in Palma. For 1.10 you can get just about anywhere, and they come regularly! A great way to get home after a late dinner with a few glasses of wine (see #10)…
8. Exploring the mountain towns. Although many of these are quite touristy, they make a great place for a wander. The most famous is probably Valldemossa, where Chopin and George Sand spent some of their troubled time together.
9. Spanish Leather. There’s much to choose from. I came back with a new pair of Campers – the company is based in the town of Inca, which has a great tradition of leather work.
10. Good Spanish red wine.
Before getting back into the world of ice cream, I just want to add something more about my trip. When coming back from Belfast, we decided to stop at two of Ireland’s most important historical sites – 
Although my sister married a Derryman, they are living in Germany now, and it’s been years since I’ve visited the North, outside of a short trip to Belfast. So I was looking forward to cruising the 
It’s so unspoiled, compared to the Republic – there are none of the endless, ugly holiday home estates that mar the landscape from Dingle to Donegal. There are caravan parks and holiday homes, but they seem to be limited to the towns. Instead, there is beautiful landscape and open roads. It’s a fabulous place for touring.
We had booked a place for two nights outside Belfast – 
The following day I wandered around the 
The next morning, we headed for Warrenpoint, where we have our first customer in the North – 
Armed with the fantastic 
Although the weather can be bad and some places closed, Winter is a good time to travel, since nothing is booked out, you have the countryside to yourself, and there are real bargains to be had in terms of lodgings.
This highly-rated establishment has been recently refurbished, and it was very comfortable.
We decided to spend the night in Ardara, having heard great things about the rustic 
The next day we drove around the coast, then headed into 
 The ice cream man has headed North – Sligo, Donegal, Antrim, Belfast. I will post photos and high points when I get back. There have already been a few of the latter…
One of the new developments in the Irish gourmet food world is the emergence of off licenses with a selection of gourmet foods. The new Castle Off License in Castle Street, Tralee is a good example of this. Besides a good range of booze, they sell local smoked salmon, Irish cheeses, chocolates, and 
My brother has installed a