Bike mania

 

Puerto Pollensa as we climbed up the hill

 

This blog post is for the bikers in my life.  We spent 10 days on Majorca in mid-March and it was the best biking vacation we have ever had.  Typically it is bike vs. car for dominance on the roads.  Here, it is quite the opposite. From mid-February to June 1, bikers rule this island.  After June, it is all about the beaches as it gets hot, but now, driver beware.

The most famous ride on the island. Probably 1000 riders a day while we were there.

If you are a cyclist, you must come here for at least 10 days and really immerse yourself in the cycling culture that takes over this area.  It isn't about the pros that train here, it is all about the clubs that come from Great Britain, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and Croatia.  Other countries are also represented, but these were the powerhouses.  It is also one of the few areas in Europe where you see more women cyclists out on the road.  Few as old as me, but at least I am not in the 1% club as usual in France and Italy.

As it is such an international gathering place, it was nice to converse with other English speakers. There are many Brits living here and running businesses and they hope to stay once Brexit takes effect.

Road signs for the cyclists

The Spanish have made a huge effort to accommodate the cyclists on the island.  There is an extensive rural cycle route and fairly good maps.  Larry and I still managed to get lost innumerable times, and struggled with our GPS on our phones, which was very hit or miss.  Also, these roads were so small they often don't show up on the maps! Fortunately all roads lead back to the coast and we were able to find our way home.

For this trip we have rented bikes everywhere and gone without a car.  Miss my bike, but don't miss the hassle of traveling with it!

Beer time!

Spring in Spain

The town square

In my next life I want to come back as a child in northern Spain.  What an ideal life they have here. Every afternoon we spend and hour in the square, which is surrounded by cafes, shops and of course the church. At 4:45, the kids start streaming through the streets, riding scooters, kicking soccer balls playing tag.  The parents sit and talk, have a coffee or mineral water and are there to hand out snacks to hungry children.  No hovering moms. No orders to share with your brother.... Very refreshing. Everyone is relaxing after a long day at school and work.  And another thing.... phones are for talking, not for constant vigilance.

Morning stroll and coffee stop

We are staying in a town called San Pere de Ribes.  It is about 30 miles from Barcelona and 5 from Sitges, which is a very beautiful beach town.  Ribes was constantly referred to by the owner of the apartment we are renting as a "village".  29,000 people is not a village, but a nice sized town. It is not particularly quaint, but it does have the obligatory castle and cathedral.  This is not a place that gets tourists; this is typical Spanish life. And what a great life it is.  If you work in town, you can walk to anyplace you want to go.  There are 4 grocery stores, several bakeries and specialty shops, cafes, restaurants, wine bars; all within a 10 minute stroll.  If you work in Sitges or Barcelona, the bus leaves often, is very comfortable and is only 2-4 euro per trip.  Cafes are everywhere, and always have customers sitting outside with a coffee or other beverage.  Affordable to all.  Coffees are 1-2 euro and a beer is 1.5 euro.

Our town St. Pere de Ribes

And don't think all the Spaniards do is sit in the cafes and bars.  There is a large sports facility just down the way from us that is busy all day long.  Soccer games ran all weekend, swimming, paddle ball, mountain biking groups; all gather there.  But not to worry, there is a bar/cafe there too....

Yes, I do really admire the Spanish model of life.  They take more time for family and recreation than the typical American.  More time spent out of the home socializing.  A trip to the super market is time to catch up with all of your friends.  They do have much smaller homes and apartments and do not make massive sums of money.  But their cost of living is so much lower than ours and their consumption a fraction of the typical Americans, that living on 2000e per month as the norm is a very comfortable life.



During our wanderings last week, we happened upon a winery.  We decided to stop and try to taste. That was not really an option; that is not the business model here, but we were able to meet the young owner/wine maker.  He has studied at Oregon State (my birthplace, Corvallis!) and UC Davis.  He has worked at Ehlers Winery in Napa and lived in Angwin, CA. He also knows the owner of the bike tour company we have traveled with several times.  Small world.  What a great place they have.  The property has been in the family since the 1600's and they have been making wine there for centuries.

We have enjoyed our stay in a typical Spanish town.  Tomorrow we head to Majorca, where we will be among the tourists again. Also among more English speakers.  It has been a challenge to communicate, and always fun when we do run into English speakers.  We have observed a number of expats living here, but have had little opportunity to interact with them, as they are not the shopkeepers or wait staff!  When we do interact with the Spanish people, and they discover we are Americans, the first topic of conversation is always Trump.  All have expressed their confusion and fear for the future.  We affect every nation in the world.