My Bicycle Tour of Mallorca on NCL

the beach in Mallorca

When I took my cruise on NCL's Epic in November, one of my favorite stops was Mallorca.  I had learned about this island in my Spanish class in 8th grade.  I had also stayed in a small home there with a friend when I was twenty-six.  While on a short layoff from the European Tour of "42nd Street" we cashed in our plane tickets back to New York. Instead, we rented a lovely little modest white beach house.  It was furnished and very reasonably priced for the month.

we rode through the narrow streets to this plaza with comfortable outdoor cafes

This tour through NCL greatly exceeded my expectations.  I saw things that I had never seen on my last visit.  We rode through the old city, admiring the architecture, beauty, and the beach.  It was really exciting to zoom through the cobblestone streets.  We passed several people on walking tours, and one person riding in a horse drawn carriage.  I was happy that I had chosen to be part of the bike tour.

I was not expecting to see a Starbucks

The tour guide asked us several questions about Spain: its history, culture, and people.  I was almost the only person who answered.  I felt a little self conscious, but my teacher at Aragon High School had drilled the details of Spanish food, music, dance, art, and architecture into our minds with enthusiasm.  It all came back to me.

returning to the ship after the tour

No one else in the group had that kind of background.  I silently thanked Senora Kotter for her excellent teaching.  She was so passionate.  She had told us that if as Americans we ever went to Spain, she wanted us to be able to converse, and to know the culture and the history.  I was amazed how as the guide spoke, I remembered almost everything.  It was magically coming alive, through the scenery. 

Mrs. Kotter insisted that we only speak Spanish in her class.  If we didn't understand something, we had to ask her about it, in Spanish.  It worked.  I was able to communicate with the taxi drivers in Barcelona easily.  They seemed relieved.  Sometimes, I had to ask them to speak more slowly, but we had an intuitive understanding.  I lapsed into Spanish while answering the bike tour leader's questions.  "You speak Spanish?" he asked me.  It was only then that I realized what had happened, that I had verbally slipped into the Spanish terms.  I could hear the words in my head.

I would like to go back and spend much more time there.  Mallorca was so special and romantic.  I was impressed with how clean everything was.  We stopped for a quick drink and snack,  then returned our bikes to the shop.  Our excellent guide walked us back to the Epic.  We were home again.  I was eagerly looking forward to dinner and a ballroom show that evening.  Cruise life is for me. 

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