Na Penyal mountain and Via Verde 30th September 2016

I headed for the largest mountain in the area, Na Penyal and slogged up to the top in the heat of the late morning sun.The views from the top are worth the effort. However it was only when I was at the top that I discovered that there was another path to the summit. If there is a next time, I will do the hard work to get up the mountain on the northern side shaded by trees and take the easier downward journey on the southern side  in the sun.

 It is to a great photo but it gives the idea of the twin peaks of Na Penyal from some nearby fields. It had rained overnight and the clouds were still hanging about.

Crossing my route going up Na Penyal I came across a Via Verde. This is a path that follows an old railway track. The railway closed in 1977 bt the route has been developed into a long distance walking come cycling path. It is 28kms long stretching from Manacor to Arta.

They must had had a big budget as the surface is great, bridges and tunnels have been repaired and stations renovated. There are frequent picnic sites along the route and thousands of trees have been planted. It opened in 2014 and once the trees are established it will be a pleasant shaded walk in parts through lovely mountain scenery.

There are numerous signs, plenty of fencing, distance markers and information boards on the local fauna and flora in Spanish, Mallorcanese, German and English. Some bridges were modern but some were beautiful stone bridges.

There were a couple of tunnels on the 11kms section that I walked. 

And an attempt at an arty style out of the tunnel photo.

The main church at Son Corrio, just a few hundred metres off the track.

The station had also received investment and looked ready to receive passengers with updated facilities and large car parks such as at San Miguel...but no railway track or sleepers.

The station at San Lorenzo.

The station at Son Servera.

I just couldn't resist this shot.

But I also saw a few other sights. Most roundabouts are adorned with some artwork. Some can be easily identified as art such as this family group under a tree made out of thick sheet metal on a roundabout in Son Servera.

But I wasn't so sure about this collection of sticks held together by an aluminium band.

But every sunrise was spectacular with the changing colours with reds set off against the greys.

S'Illot, Mallorca 29th September 2016

S'Illot is a small town on the east side of the larger of the Balearic Islands. Firstly a couple of sun rise and sun set photos.

In no time at all I had found a vocho to add to my collection of vocho photos that I had started in Mexico where the original vocho or beetle was last produced and in such numbers that it is a common sight. (Complete album of vocho photos and a few other forms of transport from Mexico and Central America originally posted in November 2015).

I found a castle on a peninsular but it was a modest affair and although recently renovated it was no more than a five minute visit.  It had a small moat but was no more than a lookout tower and could not hold more than ten soldiers.

The moat was shallow and must have always been dry and only for show and would not have held back a determined attack.

I just had to have a selfie of me and a vocho although I must admit I had lost the thought of smiling as I have also lost the art of the selfie and it took me over thirty photos before I gave up...and this was the least worst. 

My hotel, not much to shout about.

And another vocho.

Marmaris Friday 9th September

Another posting with a few more pictures just for fun. All the taxis are yellow whatever the make so that they are distinctive but yellow is not a popular colour for private cars and I didn't see a single yellow private car despite looking out for one. 

 The local taxi rank on a corner of the park.

 But Landrovers are popular for safaris, mountain trips, trips out of town and are a regular sight around the town. If only I had started taking photos of them at the start of the fortnight I would have a vast collection of different colours. Here's a collection that I took on just one day.

Other colours and other makes are available but are rare but I did see a Jeep but the colour wasn't to my taste.

 Wherever I went I was never lost as just behind my hotel was a distinctive conical hill with a large Turkish flag on top. So wherever I was and wanted to go home, I just needed to look up and head towards the flag.

I took a long walk into the hills behind the town and in between the trees there was still my landmark hill and flag. Honest, the flag is there if you look closely!

Whilst I was walking around the town I came across this which I hadn't seen since Caye Caulker in Belize. It is a seeping policeman or traffic calming hump made out of a rope nailed into the tarmac.

 No posting is complete without a selfie so here are two, one of me in front of the Viking ship down near the harbour.

 And one of me outside my local 2M Micros. The yellow car is a taxi just in case you ask.

Turkey September 2016

Marmaris 6th September 2016

I am just posting a few photos to check that all the connections are working and that both the new laptop and the operators are working as they should. Firstly a view of the hotel. And yes it is far too hot here!

 It rained one evening and cleared all the rubbish out of the storm drains. The water level was about half way up the concrete sides, about a metre deep. The only trouble was all the rubbish, plastic bottles, dead cats etc were washed up on the beach and the council turned out in strength to clear the beaches. Late risers never saw or noticed anything.

 A gulet in the harbour.

 Pirates of the Carribbean on holiday in Marmaris in Turkey!

This is a special memory and treat for all those who were with me in Mexico last year and for those that followed the blog on vochos.

 And for those that travelled with me along the Silk Road through Turkey, how can people forget those Micros supermarkets? Here are pictures of the nearest two 2M Micros' plus a 1M now rebranded as Micros Jet. The number of M's refer to the size. 1m or Micros Jets are corner shops, 2M are supermarkets, 3&4M's include household wares up to 5M's that sell absolutely everything...food, household stuff, white and brown goods, cars etc

 Look out for my next big trip to South America starting next month!