Phew….
I’m back….
Back to earth, feet on the ground (I think!) after time away and stuff to sort out when I got home. And the long hot summer of 2013 feels like it’s drawing to a close. Might have drawn to a close already if the rain this week is anything to go by.
And you know what I say…. Bring on the autumn. Because the great thing about contrast is the way it allows you to appreciate the differences. Between the seasons, the moods, the good, the bad and the ugly. And one of the wonderful things about a really good summer is the way it leaves you ready and waiting for a really good autumn.
But I can’t let this wonderful summer go by without a last post dedicated to its fabulousness. And it’s another one of my ‘where would you be’ tributes to the most ‘where would you be’ place of all the ‘where would you be’ places I know.
My family started going to Pollenca in 1984. It was my parents who first went there and they liked it so much they went back. So then we went with them and the whole thing took off. Things out there have changed a bit over the past thirty years – mostly good things: the beach in the port has got bigger, the centre of the old town has been pedestrianised, buildings have been cleaned up and rebuilt, restaurants have opened and closed. And we’ve changed our allegiances as we’ve discovered more places to go and things to do.
But there is one thing that hasn’t changed. There is one place we have always gone to, and still always go to. And that is the bar at the Ila d’Or hotel. Three generations of my family have sat under the umbrellas with a drink in their hands, gazed out across the blue water of Pollenca Bay, and been at peace with the world.
We’ve gone with the children when they were small, and they’ve swum in the sea while we sat under the pines and ate calamari rings and french fries. We’ve drunk our coffee there in the mornings, we’ve eaten toasted sandwiches and drunk beer there at lunchtime, we’ve had a last thing on the way home night cap there. We’ve taken friends there, presenting it to them with an ‘aren’t we clever to have this on our doorstep’ flourish. We’ve laughed there, sometimes we’ve cried there.
And the thing is that it’s not because it’s really cool, or serves the best cocktails, or is where the beautiful people hang out. Because it isn’t any of these things.
It’s because it’s not any of these things that we love it so much. It’s tucked away at the far end of Pine Walk so most people who go to Puerto Pollenca don’t know it’s there. To get to it we leave our house and walk the hundred and fifty yards or so to the edge of the sea.
Turn left away from the centre of the port, stroll along Pine Walk. And there it is waiting for us.
The hotel is charming, easy, slightly old fashioned, in the same way that the family hotels we used to go and stay as children were. The waiters stay the same, same faces greeting us, same drinks appearing in front of us as soon as we rock up.
The view is always amazing….
Whichever way you look.
You should be there when the sun is going down…..
And there’s no better place for cloud contemplation….
So we sit down by the edge of the sea, and we pick up our drinks, and we look around us and we say……
Where would you rather be?
Old Dog. New Tricks 
We also holiday every year in Puerto Pollensa, but have only been going for 15 years, but agree with everything you have said about it…simply the best place!
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Hi Anne, so lovely to hear from you. It’s so lovely when I write about somewhere I really love to find out that so many people feel the same way. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. All the best, Jane
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Jane, another brilliant blog about beautiful PP. We’ve been coming about the same amount of time as you and bought our own place in paradise about 10 years ago. We walk to the Ila d’Or most mornings for a coffee, followed usually by a beer! The most picture perfect spot and the walk from Pinaret hopefully burns a few calories to have in reserve for all the wonderful restaurants. Debs
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Hi Debs, we do exactly the same thing! Justify the overindulging by comforting ourselves with the fact that we walk there! Thanks for commenting. All the best, Jane
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25 years for us!! We were first but 3 generations now looking forward each year to their annual fix. Our place is in Pinaret…we walk to the Ila d’Or for coffee most days. We go home in October and agree the contrast at home is all part of the rich picture. Having been away 5 weeks I’m not much looking forward to getting the garden straight!!!
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HI Malcolm, Thanks so much for commenting. Five weeks is a wonderful thought – the most we’ve ever done is three but five weeks at this time of year sounds like a really good idea. Great to hear from you. All the best, Jane
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HI Jane didn’t realise my wife debs had already responded !! Not only 5 weeks but we drove down for the first time which I strongly
recommend as well. Judging from your drive to Scotland not a problem for you kind regards Malcolm
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Another wonderful,atmospheric blog about our favourite spot…we stayed at ‘Illa D’or’ several times back in the ’80s’ with our then teen-age boys, and we made friends with whom we still exchange Christmas cards..we then had many years of PineWalk apartments and villas in the country with 3 generations…now it is back to the two of us, and we feel so fortunate to be going to the ‘Miramar’ next week for the second time this year..and to be celebrating our Golden Wedding there…but this week we are enjoying a visit from our gorgeous family from Melbourne…I read and re-read your previous blog about the PineWalk, and it really does convey my sentiments,exactly..thamk you again..Anita .
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Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Anita. It means so much to me when I hear from people who enjoy my blog – it really makes it worthwhile and encourages me to keep on going. All the best, jane
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Reblogged this on trufflehound and commented:
Hi twin. We were drinking Hendricks and tonic there last night as the sun went down -then onto wonderful dinner at Cantonet in the old town.. Full of friendly ghosts and so many happy memories. And now we are creating more. Look forward to all being here together again next year. Xx
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