COBBLESTONES. CANALS. MORE BEER.The journey truly began Saturday night when I settled in and watched “In Bruges”, a satirical film about two hitmen who are forced to lay low in the touristy medieval town after a job goes wrong. The movie was quite entertaining, mainly because the entire plot revolved around the main character hating the fact he had to stay in such a boring town as Bruges. I wanted to watch the movie because it is a cult classic around here and besides making fun of Bruges the whole time, the film shows the quaint beauty of the town through its scenes of quiet canals and bustling squares. I was pleasantly surprised to find the city exactly as the movie portrayed it: a wonderfully preserved medieval town filled with Belgian delicacies and laced by a lovely canal system which has given the city its “Belgian Venice” reputation. It was definitely one of the more touristy spots I have visited here, but it was well worth the cringe. I started my exploration at the Grote Markt, one of the most popular squares near the center. The famous Belfry of Bruges is located here along with many other impressive and ornate buildings. It reminded me a lot of Brussels with all the detailed statues, fancy edgings and intricate sculptures, just a bit older. It was 10 Euro to get to the top of the Belfry, plus it was just leg day, so I decided to appreciate the iconic building from ground level. After having my fill of exploring all the touristy chocolate shops and bars near the center, I made my way to the outside of the ring to see some of the older "medieval" buildings and was delighted to stumble upon some windmills which used to be a main power source for the city back in the dark ages. Don Quixote would have been proud. The architecture was absolutely stunning everywhere through out the city, many of the buildings dating back to the 1200s. I visited a few cathedrals and was particularly awed by the beauty of these ancient works of art. Though these places were breathtaking, I couldn't help but feel a bit disrespectful tromping around what used to be considered holy ground for the sake of getting a good picture. There was an odd mix of believers attempting to pray and worship amidst crowds of bustling tourists paying 2 euros to light candles and touch a cloth that supposedly still had the blood of Christ on it. Quite a striking juxtaposition. In my opinion, the canals are the most beautiful part of Bruges. I spent a good part of the day just meandering through winding streets, following gently flowing streams and waving at tourists in little speed boats. It was a picturesque and peaceful scene. Many restaurants lined the canals and I found a lovely little pub which sold over 100 beers from local brewers where I wasted an hour or so drinking and reading The Sun Also Rises in order to prepare myself for my next adventure which will be in Pamplona, Spain. I have to say, Belgian beer is quite good, but I just don't quite understand the draw. Don't get me wrong, its refreshing, tasty...maybe its just because I haven't developed the palate for it yet, but it really doesn't seem all that better here than back home. Maybe there are more unique varieties or flavor notes, but in general its just beer. Nothing too amazing. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm sorry Belgium. To be completely honest, Bruges was everything I expected it to be. A tourist trap, but a beautiful one. I'm getting the feeling that most Belgian cities are similar. Many wonderful restaurants and local delicacies to eat, too many bars to choose from, and gorgeous quiet streets to get lost in. I think that if I had to stay here for two weeks like those poor hit men, I too would go a little insane, but for one day Bruges is a wonderful culture trip.
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BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS, AND THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.09:00 Can PastillaAfter arriving in Palma late Saturday night and enjoying an amazing steak dinner with a pitcher of sangria, my friend Rebekah and I woke up primed and ready for a long anticipated adventure. Little did we know, what the day held in store was beyond our wildest dreams. Our plan was simple-rent bikes and ride a leisurely 55 kilometers to Calo de Moro, one of the most beautiful natural beaches in Spain (For all of you non-metric minded readers, 55k may not sound far. It is. I now understand kilometers on a whole new level). I mapped out our route using google maps and was confident that between our two phones and a travel charger we'd have enough battery to get us there and back without too much hassle. Saying goodbye to the tourist laden beaches near our hotel, we started off. 10:00 LucmajorThe first leg of our journey propelled us into a different world. Gone were the flashy beaches filled with young, tan masses drinking and dancing. As we rode further into the countryside, it was as if we had traveled back in time. Breathtaking fields of vibrant greens and yellows flowed away from the quaint roads lined with stone walls and white flowers. The majestic mountains towering to the west hedged in the gorgeous rural land as if protecting it from the invasive city life just a few kilometers away. This place radiated peace. Here and there beautiful villas and farms dotted the landscape, but for the most part I felt as though Bekah and I were the only souls witnessing this endless beauty. We were apparently following a road that was popular for bikers as quite a few packs of professional-looking bicyclists raced past us. At one point my competitive side got the best of me and I decided to keep up with a group of male bikers who I later found out through a conversation of broken Spanish/English, were a professional racing team who competed for Italy at the world level of bicycling competition. When I realized I had left Bekah quite literally in our dust, I said goodbye to my new friends and waited for her to catch up. We traveled through this type of landscape for about 20k. It was quiet, relaxing and unlike anything I had ever seen back home. I wish I had taken more pictures here but I was too focused on making it to our final destination to pull out my camera every few minutes even though the scenery was definitely worthy of it. 12:30 Ses SalinesAfter almost 3 hours of biking through fairly uninhabited land, we came upon a lovely little town which felt like it was straight out of an old 40's movie. I half expected Audrey Hepburn or Carry Grant to waltz pass at any moment. The streets were windy and quiet lined with beautiful apartments which had flower boxes on almost every window. Since it was Sunday, nothing was open except a few sleepy restaurants and cafes. Bekah and I did not blend into this place at all. After the trek it took to arrive here, we were sweaty, dirty, and generally disgusting, but we were starving so we swallowed our pride and stopped at a restaurant called Cassai. The pictures here do not do it justice. After such a long journey, it was an oasis to us weary travelers. We ordered Mojitos, bread and pizzas for both of us. I fully intended to take a picture of the amazing food, but unfortunately I was so ravenous by the time it arrived that no such picture came into existence. Imagine if you will toasted whole wheat bread with a delightful whipped butter/cream cheese spread topped with fresh olive oil and herbs accompanied by minty mojitos and the most fabulous brick oven pizza brimming with veggies, mozzarella and basil. Drooling yet? I don't know if it tasted so good because of the severe calorie deficit I was operating at or if Spain is really just that amazing of a culinary heaven. I'm inclined to believe the latter. We left Ses Salines refreshed and eager to complete the final 10k ride we had left to arrive at the beach. 14:00 Calo des MoroImagine the bluest blue you have ever seen in nature. Now intensify it by 100%. That was the striking scene that took our breath away when we finally made the hike up to the cliffs overlooking Calo De Moro. I have not color corrected these images. Bekah and I had no words when we reached the edge of the cliffs. We just stood there pointing with our jaws on the floor scrambling to put together such intelligent phrases as "DUDE....I just.....What even....The water tho!!". When we finally jumpstarted our brains back into functioning order, we whipped out our cameras and decided this place was worth all the biking in the world. The white cliffs encircled a striking rock beach where indigo waves crashed endlessly into alabaster foam. Charcoal rocks far below the surface lined the ocean floor making some areas resemble a deep navy color. Along the cliffs grew various species of foliage, mainly of the bush and coral variety. To the east lay a small island with a cave running through the middle. It was just past this island where the actual beach was quietly tucked away. After soaking in the view for a few more minutes, Bekah and I went back to the path and began the hike down to the water. 15:00As we climbed along the sides of the beach, I felt as though I was dreaming. This scene belonged in Narnia or Pirates of the Caribbean, not in real life. Far below, icy sapphire waves gently caressed the sandy beach full of colorfully adorned vacationers. Their vibrant pigmentation was a striking juxtaposition against the rest of the quiet tones composing the environment. It looked as if the humans below were nothing but little sprinkles scattered on to a great canvas painting. 15:30We made it. The actual beach. After taking some hasty shots, we quickly stripped off our sweat drenched clothing and raced into the water. Oddly enough no one was swimming when we arrived, but we were so hot and tired from the ride we didn't think twice about dashing into the ice cold refreshing waves. After a few minutes, the entire beach followed us. We spent over an hour swimming and scaling the cliffs surrounding the beach wishing we could stay forever. There were numerous caves and caverns built into the cliff faces, all filled with striking red earth which stained my hands and feet. Little bunches of white and blue flowers grew high up in the caves and tiny footprints from birds dotted the cliffs. It was truly a magical place. We finally tore ourselves away knowing that if we didn't leave soon, we would never make it back to our hotel before sundown. 16:30Before we bid the beach farewell forever, we hiked up to the southernmost part of the cliffs which looked out into the Balearic Sea. Here the water was a much darker ultramarine due to the greater depth. From this vantage one could see far down the coast, towards Cala Santanyi and Cala s'Almonia. The cliffs appeared stern and resolute, as if they were the keepers of this great island. The feeling evoked by such imagery is impossible to explain. These pictures simply do not capture the true incredulity of the scene. In these places of natural wonder, one becomes so aware of their own beautiful insignificance in this thing we call the universe. Insignificance has become a negative term in this world of inflated self worth, but conversely I believe that humility is a virtue to be cherished. When one looks out over the majesty of creation and becomes cognizant of the great miracle that is existence and life and rock and water and flesh and bone and breath and atom.....the burdens of everyday life suddenly float away. You are swept away but the great mystery of the universe's heartbeat, totally powerless against the force that is life itself. It was in this state that I was reminded of an excerpt from The Value of Sciecnce, an essay by one of the most brilliant minds of modern physics and one of the role models who inspired me to study physics myself: ...I stand at the seashore, alone, and start to think. There are the rushing waves, mountains of molecules Each stupidly minding its own business Trillions apart, yet forming white surf in unison Ages on ages, before any eyes could see Year after year, thunderously pounding the shore as now For whom, for what? On a dead planet, with no life to entertain Never at rest, tortured by energy Wasted prodigiously by the sun, poured into space A mite makes the sea roar Deep in the sea, all molecules repeat the patterns Of one another till complex new ones are formed They make others like themselves And a new dance starts Growing in size and complexity Living things, masses of atoms, DNA, protein Dancing a pattern ever more intricate Out of the cradle onto the dry land Here it is standing Atoms with consciousness, matter with curiosity Stands at the sea, wonders at wondering I, a universe of atoms An atom in the universe - Richard P. Feynman I had read this before and remember being quite inspired by the thought, but never before had Feynmans words resonated so deeply as they did standing on the cliffs of Mallorca. After shaking myself this oddly metaphysical state, Beckah and I started the long journey back. 17:00What follows in the hours of our returning journey is too detailed and tiresome to attempt to explain in a mere blog. Even when trying to describe what happened to my own family, I felt that I could not communicate what unfolded in a worthy manner. Unfortunately, I'm certain that only Bekah and I will ever know what actually happened on our way back. To be succinct, everything went wrong, but that is precisely what made this adventure memorable. There was blood, sweat, and tears, mainly circulating around the fact that my bike broke about 20k away from out hotel in the middle of nowhere and our phones died due to a charging malfunction, but thanks to the unparalleled generosity and kindness of a sweet elderly couple, we made it back to the hotel after 22:30, tired, beat up, exhausted, but safe and ecstatic that we undertook such a grand journey. Not only did this day show us the most beautiful scenes of natural beauty, but it also displayed something even more valuable: the wonder of human altruism. I have always been of the "self made man" persuasion, but I am beginning to realize that no one is truly independent. Humanity is so interconnected that it is foolish to think you have to the power to save yourself. Honestly, if it wasn't for the benevolence of strangers, I might not be here to write this story right now. So this is Palma. Breathtaking, gorgeous, humbling, sobering, inspiring, and absolutely unforgettable. |
AuthorAmy Renne Archives
September 2018
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