Our final port of call on this cruise was Palma, the capital city of Mallorca, which is the largest of the Balearic Islands that sit off the east coast of Spain.  They speak Catalan here, in what is something of a mini Barcelona.  Before we left the ship, we could see the Cathedral which completely dominates the waterfront.

A shuttle bus swept us into the centre of town, conveniently dropping us off a few minutes walk from said Cathedral.  We turned our attention to the nearby La Llotja, built as a trading centre in the 1500s. when Palma was an important strategic and commercial port city.  Nowadays it houses temporary art exhibitions.  Inside is an elegant vaulted ceiling and columns; the outside is Gothic, complete with gargoyles.  I even found a “selfie” sculpture.

The Cathedral is closed on Sundays, so we looked at the exterior of this immense structure – more gargoyles, and flying buttresses.  Adjacent is the Bishops Palace.  There is a dramatic reflecting pool, with gardens and pathways on multiple levels.

Pressing on, we found ourselves in a maze of laneways.  It was like a ghost town in here; everyone was at the Cathedral or the shops.  Apart from the quiet clip clop of the horse drawn carriages, and the odd pedestrian, cyclist or driver, we had it all to ourselves – blissfully peaceful.  I visited the Arab Baths, an ancient hamam dating to the 10^th century, one of the few traces left of the Moors.  Adjacent were some lovely gardens.  As we continued to wander, we saw some courtyards, opening up to grand staircases and water features.

Finally we rounded a corner and found ourselves face to face with some wonderful Modernist, or Art Nouveau, buildings.  Modernism is my favourite architectural style, and my heart beat a little faster at the sight of the Gaudi-influenced Can Forteza Rey, just off the Placa Major.  Nearby are Casa Mitges, Can Casasayas, and the Gran Hotel.  I admired the curves, the balconies, the mosaics, and the butterflies and dragons worked into the designs (the last picture isn’t Modernist, just a bit of fun).

Passing through the Venice-like Placa Major square, we followed shady tree-lined streets, passing the high-end shops of the Passeig del Born, and some interesting art galleries in the laneways between there and the waterfront.  We made our way under the massive medieval city walls, finishing back in front of the Cathedral to see the reflections in the pool.  The heat had got the better of us, and it was time to return to the ship for the final dinner, show, and Big Pack.