Weekend in Lucerne

Greetings All,

We have mentioned our compadres at Nestle before- our friend, Kathy organized a trip to Lucerne which we understand to be one of the most visited spots in Switzerland. 

It has all the usual stuff- seen one Alp you have ... But there was a special beauty and freshness that comes with winter finally coming to a close. 

Arriving at the Lucerne Train Station.

Lucerne (German: Luzern-or pick from among at least 6 or 8 spellings depending on what you are viewing)) is a city in north-central Switzerland in the German-speaking part of the country.  The city developed around the Monastery of St Leodegar(who was the Patron Saint of Lucerne) in the eighth century. It is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, It is the most populous city in Central Switzerland. The city's metropolitan area consists of 17 cities and towns located in three different cantons with an overall population of about 250,000 people.

The city is divided by the Reuss (pronounced "royce") River, which flows out of Lake Lucerne.  Due to Lucerne's location on Lake Lucerne and within sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps, it has long been a destination for tourists. It was voted the fifth most popular tourism destination in the world in 2010 by Tripadvisor.

Our first view of Lake Lucerne (Lake of the Four Forested Cantons) with the ever present swans. The swans originated as a gift from King Louis XIV in appreciation for the protection the Swiss Guard provided him.

Mount Pilatus (Pilate) overlooking Lucerne.  


The structure in the middle is the Haus Zur Gilden.  It is located on the northern bank of the Reuss River and is the last building before the river flows into the lake. The most impressive part of the building is the round tower with pointed spire. The building was home to the Zur Gilgen family and many famous people have stayed there over the years including Victor Hugo. The building was destroyed by a fire in 1495 but was rebuilt between the years 1506 and 1510. 

More Alps overlooking Lucerne.  Mount Rigi on the left and Mount Pilatus on the right.

The Nestle group we traveled with-from the left, Kathleen, John, Ash, Jen, Patty, Hans and Paula.  You will also notice that the "little animal family" traveled with us.

The Town Hall with the clock in the background.

Beginning in 1356 and ending in the mid 19th century, the ground floor of this building was where grain was stored.  Since 1447 the upper parts of the building served as town hall. 

The Town Hall Tower Clock. 


Oh surprise-another Suisse clock tower!The clock tower was built in Renaissance style at the beginning of the 17th century.  It houses one of the largest clocks in Europe.
.

The Fritschi Fountain

This fountain was built in 1918.  Though actually less than 100 years old, the fountain stands in the tradition of much older Renaissance style fountains with painted allegoric figures on top. The figure on top of the Fritschi Fountain is not Fritschi himself, but a standard bearer. The 4 column masks on the column represent Fritschi, his wife, a nursemaid and a servant. There are 4 fools spewing water from goat horns near the base.

The story of the legendary Brother Fritschi plays an important role in Lucerne's Carnival tradition. The legend which goes back to around 1450 and the most probable explanation is that there was a farmer (or farmhand) living outside town making jokes whenever he came to town. (maybe Swiss' version of a story teller like Abraham Lincoln.) His grave is under this fountain, on the medieval graveyard attached to St. Peter's Chapel. Medieval town clerk and chronist Cysat reports that Fritschi left some money to the Safran guild (a Trade Guild) on condition that they serve wine to the poor during Fasacht (Carnival). The guild is still fullfilling this obligation today and has dedicated one story of their guild rooms to Brother Fritschi (wine for the homeless-interesting mission).

Cathedral of St. Leodegar

St. Leodegar was founded in the mid-8th century, part of the monastery which in turn founded Lucerne. A Gothic church preceded the existing German Renaissance building, but was largely destroyed by fire in 1633. Only the towers, St. Mary's altar and a few religious objects remain in the existing 17th-century building.

Today it is both a monastery church and parish church.

A picture of Lake Lucerne waterfront.

Boat dock on Lake Lucerne. We are taking a boat to the city of Weggis.

The spires of Cathedral St Leodegar and the waterfront area from Lake Lucerne.

Picture of Mount Pilatus from the boat.
Legend dictates that it is named for Pontius Pilate, whose body is supposedly in one of the lakes.  More likely, the name comes from a Latin word meaning "cloudy" (today living the Latin legend).  Legend also has it that the mountain is infested with dragons.

Sail boats enjoying a day on the lake, with the Alps in the background.

Picture of the Alps on our way to Weggis.

Arriving at Weggis.  Notice the cable car in the middle of the picture.  We rode the car up Mount Rigi (Queen of the Mountains).

Flowers in bloom in Weggis.

All Saints Chapel.

On our way to catch the cable car we passed this small chapel.

The interior of the All Saints Chapel.  Some of the frescoes date from the early 17th century. The pieta and room for about 3 dozen visitors was unexpected based on the diminutive outside appearance.

A view of Lake Lucerne from the cable car.

We rode the cable car to Rigi-Kaltbad, which was its termination point.   We were at an altitude of 3,031 feet.  This picture was taken as we hiked from Rigi Kaltbad to Rigi-Staffelhohe.

This picture was taken from Rigi-Staffelhohe, looking east from Lake Lucerne, with Lake Zug in the background.

Later at the Lion Monument in Lucerne.

The initiative to create the monument was taken by Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen, an officer of the Swiss Guard who had been on leave in Lucerne at that time of the massacre. He began collecting money in 1818.

The monument was designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved into the cliff face, of a former sandstone quarry, by Lukas Ahorn in 1820-21.  The sculpture is 33 feet long and 20 feet tall. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution.

From the early 17th century, a regiment of Swiss mercenaries had served as part of the Royal Household of France. On October 6, 1789, King Louis XVI had been forced to move with his family from the Palace of Versailles to the Tuileries Palace in Paris. In June 1791 he tried to flee abroad. In the August 10,1792 insurrection, revolutionaries stormed the palace. Fighting broke out spontaneously after the Royal Family had been escorted from the Palace.  The Swiss Guards ran low on ammunition and were overwhelmed by superior numbers. A note written by the King has survived, ordering the Swiss to retire and return to their barracks, but this was only acted on after their position had become untenable.

Of the Swiss Guards defending the Tuileries, more than six hundred were killed during the fighting or massacred after surrender. An estimated two hundred more died in prison of their wounds or were killed during the September Massacres that followed.

The monument is dedicated Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti ("To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss"). The dying lion is portrayed impaled by a spear, covering a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the French Monarchy; beside him is another shield bearing the coat of arms of Switzerland. The inscription below the sculpture lists the names of the officers, and the approximate numbers of soldiers who died (DCCLX = 760) and survived (CCCL = 350).

The Museggmauer (Musegg Wall) Also know as the “Old City Walls”

The wall was constructed between 1370 and 1442 to protect the town. Today, the remaining wall, almost totally intact, measures 2,850 feet in length, is an average of 30 feet high, 5 feet thick and has nine towers.  There is a walkway on top of the wall and three of the towers, Schirmer – named for the hill behind it;  Zyt - the clock tower and Mannli – named for the metal man on its top, remain open to the public.

The oldest clock in the city, dating from 1535, was designed by Hans Luter and is housed in the Zyt tower. The dial and numbers are large so that the fishermen, on Lake Lucerne,  could tell what time it is. The clock runs by stone weights and pendulums and is still in perfect working condition.  In honor of being the oldest clock in the city, the clock's bell is allowed to chime one full minute before every other clock in the city.

Three of the nine towers that are on the wall.  The second one is Zyt, which holds the clock.


We walked the wall and climbed the towers and I was really impressed with the clock works in the Zyt tower.  The stone weight on the end of the pendulum must have weight at least 50 pounds.

A view of the city and the Alps from the wall.

A view of Lake Lucerne and the Alps from the wall.

A typical Lucerne house with a fresco. 

St Peter's Chapel.


St Peter’s is a Lucerne landmark and of considerable historical importance. It is Lucerne’s oldest church and was built in 1178 when a priest was appointed to take care of the population. Always subservient to the 8th century Benedictine St Leodegar monastery, it never became the parish church. 

Mills Bridge (Spreuerbrücke)

Sunday morning and a weather break. 
There are nine bridges which span the Reuss River to connect the town.  The two most famous are the Mills Bridge and the Chapel Bridge.

The Mills Bridge was constructed in 1408, 75 years after the Chapel Bridge. Originally, it connected Mühlenplatz (the town mills) and Pfistergasse (the baker’s quarter). The Mills Bridge also served as part of the city fortification. In medieval Lucerne, it was the lowest bridge and the only one where people were allowed to throw wheat chaff (Spreu) into the river.  This is how the bridge got its name.

On the rafters, under the roof, are 67 paintings dating from 1626 to 1635 by Gaspar Meglinger, which are entitled "Dance of Death".  These begin on the northern bank side with a little verse:

    All living things that fly or leap

    Or crawl or swim or run or creep

    Fear Death, yet can they find no spot

    In all the world where Death is not.

The succession of images shows a grinning skeleton. The theme is that it does not matter who you are--- kings, gallant princes, lawmen, nuns, merchants, prostitutes, peasants, maidens, everyone alike ---you were at the mercy of the Plague, at the mercy of Death itself. These pictures help remind us of how fragile human life can be to the many forces of nature. The final panel, predictably enough, shows a majestic Christ vanquishing bony Death.

There is a small chapel on the bridge, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which was added in 1566 to protect the bridge against destruction by floods.

Each of the 67 painting included a skeleton.  As the townsfolk crossed the bridge daily, these scenes provided vivid reminders that nobody can escape death (an especially poignant message in times of war and plague, when these were painted).

Another of the many paintings.

The Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)

Long the symbol of Lucerne, this covered wooden footbridge, across the Reuss River, connects the two sides of the town. Built in 1333 as part of Lucerne's fortifications, it was to protect the city from attack from the south, the lakeside.  The bridge is 560 feet long and crosses the river diagonally.  It was named after the nearby St Peter’s Chapel.  It is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, as well as the world's oldest surviving truss bridge. The octagonal Water Tower (Wasserturm), built around 1300, has been used as a prison, a torture chamber, and an archive.

The bridge has always been known for its paintings that hang from its arched roof. They depict events from Lucerne's history including the town’s two patron saints, St Leger and St Maurice.  Many of the paintings were done in 1599 by Catholic painter, Heinrich Wagmann.

The bridge was damaged by a fire in 1993 and 85 of the 110 pictures, under the roof, were destroyed; only 25 could be saved or restored. The others have been replaced by pictures from the second part of the bridge that had been safely stored since 1834. A few burnt panels can still be seen as a reminder of the fire.

Lucerne city officials directed that copies be made. After a $2.1-million reconstruction, this landmark bridge was reopened in the spring of 1994.

This one features a legendary and formidable giant, an icon of Lucerne you will see all over town.  This giant dates back to the Middle Ages, when mammoth bones discovered locally were mistakenly identified as the bones of a 15 foot tall human giant.

Another of the many paintings on the bridge.

Jesuit Church

Lucerne's Jesuit Church is the first large baroque church built in Switzerland north of the alps. First and foremost is an expression of the Catholic Church's 17th century struggle to regain spiritual leadership in the counter-reformation At the same time it does show, that the Catholics then refused to accept any discussion on major points of criticism by the protestant churches. Instead, baroque architecture displays power and glory and emphasizes exactly those parts of Catholic tradition (especially the veneration of saints).

There is perfect logic that Lucerne, seeing itself as the capital of the Catholic fraction of Switzerland in pre-modern times, should have constructed this building. Today, Jesuit Church is a major tourist attraction and serves as a concert hall while it has become almost irrelevant to local church life from a religious point of view. There are other churches in the city, that better express the beliefs of Swiss Catholics, after the Second Vatican Council.

Another view of the Jesuit Church.

We also toured the Rosengart gallery.  In this gallery, the "ONE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED" was abiding by the rules and did not take any pictures.  

The Rosengart Collection comprises well over 200 works by 23 different "Classic Modernist" artists. These include over 100 works by Paul Klee and some 50 by Pablo Picasso. Other artists represented include (in alphabetical order) Bonnard, Braque, Cézanne, Chagall, Dufy, Kandinsky, Laurens, Léger, Marini, Matisse, Miró, Modigliani, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Rouault, Seurat, Signac, Soutine, Utrillo and Vuillard.  

I am sure you have seen some of Picasso's works.  Even after seeing more of his paintings, I still don't understand what makes them "great" art. Seems like stuff our grandchildren have already mastered. 

We really recommend Lucerne to all the future travelers and hope to return. 

Joyeuses Paques from Mallorca

Before we came to Vevey, Paula received the 2012 Nestle Holiday Schedule. When we saw Nestle takes a 4 day holiday for Easter, we started looking at destinations last December. We were looking at the classic Easter destination-Roma. Regina said forget it...Rome will be mobbed with the faithful-try Mallorca. So we did and this is our report. 

 On Friday, April 6th, we arrived at the Palma de Mallorca Airport.  We experienced a little rain in the afternoon, but not enough to dampen our enthusiasm at being some place warmer. Incredible that one can fly over the snow capped Alps and in 80 minutes be landing on an island with a sandy beach and palm trees. 

A little information about Palma and Mallorca:

The island was originally named by the Romans, who referred to its size compared to the other Spanish islands – Major (i.e. large). “Major” in Latin is pronounced as MAH-yor – so the English spelling of Majorca is correct to its roots, but the pronunciation is won by the locals. The obvious spelling to follow the pronunciation in Spanish is with “ll”. So the name Majorca/Mallorca depends on if you are English or Spanish.  Mallorca is about 170 miles east of the coast of Spain, in the Mediterranean Sea.

The first human settlement of Mallorca is recorded as 3000BC (although there are records of burial chambers that could date as far back as 6000BC).

The Romans conquered Mallorca in 123 BC and their occupation lasted until the 5th century AD. The Romans were responsible for naming the capital city Palmeria (now abbreviated to Palma – meaning Palm of Victory).  They also built a wall around the city to protect it from invading armies. The city is located on the Bay of Palma, which is on the southwest side of the island.  Its population is about 517,200, making it the twelfth largest city in Spain.  The Palma de Mallorca Airport handles over 22 million visitors annually.  King Juan Carlos I and his wife Sophia, spend their summer holidays in Palma.

In 902 the Moors started their occupation of the island, which lasted some 300 years. The Moors had ruled mainland Spain since the early 8th century.

In 1229, King James I of Aragon drove the Moors from the island.  Upon his death in 1276, his son King James II ascended the throne. It was during his reign that the Chapel of Trinity in the Palma Cathedral and Bellver castle were started.

We decided to take a bus tour to familiarize ourselves with the city and surrounding area. Sounds cheesey but an easy way to quickly gain orientation, avoid wasting time and it only costs a couple hours.  


It is quite common to see the remnants of windmills that were once used to pump water.  With the development of municipal water systems these become obsolete.  In the country side, they were left abandoned, in the city, some with turned into bars and cafes.  Also, as we toured the city, we could see part of the wall that the Romans had built around the city.  In this picture there is greenery covering the wall.  In 1902, the city tore down much of the wall to allow tourist easy access to the Bay of Palma.

Bellver Castle (Bellver means Beautiful View) 

One of the stops on our tour was this castle.  It is located on a hill about 2 miles northwest of the city of Palma.  From the castle there is a panoramic view of Palma and the Bay of Palma.  This gothic style castle was constructed at the beginning of the 1300's by King James II. It is one of the few circular castles in Europe. Throughout the 18th to mid-20th century, it was used as a military prison.  it is now under civilian control, being one of the main tourist attractions of the island.

On the tour, we saw this statue of King James I, of Aragon, also know as King James The Conqueror, who liberated the city of Palma from the Moors, thus a victory for Christianity over Islam.  His statue looks in the direction of the city of Palma.

Blurry picture of Good Friday procession in the street with the priest bearing the cross. The faithful in somber procession behind.  

One of the many side streets in Palma.

The food of Mallorca was outstanding. Ordered fish at every meal as it is what they do best. The first night Paula ordered what was supposed to be a simple whitefish with fried garlic...it came as this presentation so loaded up with extras, we thought it was the wrong food.

Menu of the day is common in Europe but normally we don't pay any attention and order a la carte anyway. In Mallorca, Menu Del Dia is impossible to ignore because it is such a great deal.  Starter, dinner , dessert, wine and water included in the fixed price. Unbelievable!

Dessert was usually something fruity so not a caloric disaster.

Easter Sunday dinner-Sea bass in salt crust...again another great meal for a pittance.  The waiter was gruff and funny. 

Mallorca reminded us both of Mexico vacations...warmth , friendliness, economy. There's always that little coffee place you find and go back to every morning. This spot, Crepe Suzettes, is owned by a little French lady that has been here for 30 years. She made us welcome every morning with Cappuccino and a croissant.

A view of the Bay of Palma from our hotel balcony.  There were a lot of large cruise ships docked at the port.

The Cuevas dels Hams (The Cave of the Fish Hooks).

Some of the most visited sites on Mallorca are the underground caves.  Most of them are located on the northeastern side of the island.  

This cave was discovered on March 2, 1905 by Pedro Caldentey.  Lorenzo Caldentey, a son of the discoverer, is a certified diver and has outfitted the caves with an electric lighting system for the roughly 500 meter walk through the cave.

The caves are being formed by water being forced through the entrance from the Mediterranean Sea, and some researchers think the formation may date back to the Miocene Period (23 million to 5 million years ago).

The name of the cave is derived from the shape of some its stalactite formations, particularly in the chamber known as the Angel's Dream which grow in all directions and curve into the shape of fish hooks.  Remember, stalagmites grow up and stalactites grow down.

In this cave is an underground lake, known as the "Venetian Lake".  I am not sure of its size, but it is about 40 feet deep.

I was not allowed to use the flash attachment, so these pictures do not do justice to the cave.

 Porto Cristo (Port of Christ).

Two popular legends explain how the town got its name.  One legend has it that at the time of the earliest Christian conquest of Mallorca, around 1260 AD, it is believed a fishing boat carrying a crucifix was washed ashore here.   Another legend says the town derived its name from when two oxen carrying an icon of Christ to Palma stopped here and refused to continue their journey.  Hence the people saw this as a sign and the name was derived from the belief it was a pure sign Christ wanted to be here.

The town is located about 40 miles east of Palma, on the Mediterranean Sea.  The caves of Hams and Drach are about a mile to the west.  The income for the town is not solely from tourism, as it still maintains a large fleet of commercial fishing boats.


We stopped for lunch here before heading to the next set of caves.

The natural harbor, at Porto Cristo, also is home to a lot of high-end boats.



It is said that Porto Cristo has the best beaches on the Mallorca Island.

The island is well known for having many caves that are formed from limestone. Of course Jim wanted to visit every one that was accessable to tourists.  I agreed to go to one only. He selected the right one for me, I think.


Cuevas del Drach (The Cave of the Dragon).  The name was derived from Mallorca fairytales where the dragon is believed to be a symbol of strength and a defence against intruders.


This is one of the most visited underground caves in any country and the most visited site on Mallorca.


In 1896, Luis Salvator who was the Archduke of Austria, encouraged French geologist Edouard-Alfred Martel to explore and map the cave.  He was the first to explore many of the caves in this area. 


The cave consists of 12 main areas and other impressive chambers such as the Black Cave, the White Cave, and the Luis Salvator Cave which are all inter-connected.  Martel made the world aware of this cave,  but he wasn’t the first to extensively examine the cave. In 1878, three people were lost in the cave and wandered there for more than 30 hours.  You can not believe how dark it is in these caves without the lights that have been installed.  I can only imagine how frighten these people must have been.


Jules Verne visited the caves in this area and got the idea for his book "A Journey to the Center of the Earth".


This is one of very few underground caves that are owned by a private individual.  We saw where the owner lived, he is doing quite well for himself.

A view of the Mediterranean Sea prior to going down into the cave.

You are not allowed to take any pictures in the cave, so these next two are from the Internet.

Thousands of visitors a year flock to the Cuevas del Drach to see these fantastic rock and limestone formations. During this underground expedition, you walk more than a mile through mysterious caverns, where rock formations reach down from the ceilings of the cave and grow up from the floors. At the bottom of the cave you are about 300 feet from the surface.

Throughout the caves, the humidity remains at a constant 80 percent, with temperatures at a comfortable 68 degrees.

Lago de Martel (Lake Martel)


At the bottom of the cave is Lago de Martel, one of the largest underground lakes in the world and the largest in Europe.  It is about 3,375 feet in length, 100 feet in width and 80 feet deep.  A novelty is a classical music concert provided by musicians floating across the lake in boats. A backdrop of beautiful lights creates the perfect atmosphere for enjoying a lakeside concert as we rested in a specially constructed auditorium.


After the concert, we were allowed to take a short boat ride on the lake.  Each boat would handle about twelve people, plus one oarsmen.  They said that the lake was about 2 percent salt, but we tasted it and both thought it was more salty.

On our way to the Cathedral, we saw this truck picking up garbage.  What was so interesting was that the truck had a magnetized lift so that all driver had to do was attach the magnetized lift to the top of the garbage bin and lift it up. It was lifted from a recessed area under ground.  Once it got to the truck, the bottom of the bin would open up and dump the garbage into the truck.  

This picture shows how the garbage bin fits into the holder on the side walk. We thought it was kind of neat.

The Almudaina Royal Palace. (Almudaina means "Citadel Outside the City Walls).

The Palace sits just to the left of the Cathedral. After James I drove the Moors from the Island, he had this Moslem fortress modified. During the XIII and XIV centuries it was the residence of the Kings of Mallorca and afterwards the viceroys and governors. In 1963, the restoration of the Palace was begun and now it is used as a museum plus the official residence for the King of Spain for official State Ceremonies and receptions in the summer.

The Palace has a square shape and stands out particularly for its facade and terrace with excellent views over the Mediterranean Sea, plus the Homage Tower crowned by a statue of the Archangel Gabriel. Inside the most outstanding elements are the Patio del Rey, the Gothic chapel to Santa Anna, the Throne Room, the Queen's Patio and the Saint James chapel.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma, more commonly referred to as La Seu.

The cathedral has its origins in the very beginnings of the Christian take over of the island.  In 1229, King James I and his men sailed to the island to defeat the Moors and it was on this crossing that the seed of the cathedral was sown. A storm raged so violently during the 3-and-half day journey that the young king feared for his life, so he made an oath to God promising, should his enterprise succeed, to erect a temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary. He was lucky, not only did he arrive safely but he also defeated the Moors. And as a God-fearing Christian he did not forget his promise and quickly set about putting into practice his oath.

The decision for the site was obvious. The Moors were already using the perfect position for their mosque. So by razing the mosque and constructing a house of God on its foundations, King James I knew he would be highlighting the Victory of Christianity over Islam.

Construction began in 1229, but was not completed until 1601. What was originally to be a Renaissance style ended up also being Gothic style. The church is about 360 feet long and 150 feet wide. The nave has a height of 130 feet (one of the highest in Europe).  The inside is around 70,000 square feet and will seat 18,000. The inside has three main aisles and separated into 24 vaulted sections. There is a rose window, which measures almost 40 feet in diameter and is made up of 1200 pieces of stained glass. The cathedral has 3 ornate entrances the most spectacular of which is the 14th century Portal de Mirador (Vantage Point or Lookout Portal) which overlooks the Bay of Palma to the south. Inside, the vault is supported by 14 pillars, in relation to their height they are still among the slimmest load bearing columns in the world today.

In the 1300’s, the Chapel of Trinity  was constructed.  It contains the royal tombs of the first dynasty of the Kingdom of Mallorca, King James II and III and crypts of other of martyrs and reverent persons tied to history of the church.

Rose Window on the East side of the Cathedral.

According to the locals, "If you catch the sun falling through the rose window on a bright morning, every nook and cranny in the Mallorca cathedral lights up like a rainbow and you will understand why it is commonly referred to as 'The Cathedral of Light'."  This rose window is the largest Gothic rose window in the world. It is divided into 24 triangles, half of which form the Star of David.  

The Antonio Gaudi Baldachin (Canopy). 


As is the case in most of the cathedral's we have visited, you are not allowed to use the flash on your camera, however, this is another set of illegal pictures taken by the "ONE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED."

In the early 1900’s, Gaudi, designed this heptagonal ceremonial wrought iron baldachin, with lights and a multi-colored crucifix, which is suspended from the main alter of the cathedral. It is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and a replica of the crown of thorns. 

Another picture of the Baldachin.

Interior shots of the Cathedral after Saturday night Easter vigil....which incidentally is the longest and most beautiful Mass we have ever attended. Even longer than some wedding ceremonies which held the previous record. 
10:00 pm until 12:30 am-they made us stay until it was really Easter. 

Mass has ended and people are leaving the cathedral.

Finally finished touring by Sunday and we got a day to do nothing by the pool. 

You can see the Cathedral from the hotel pool view. 

SPOILER ALERT....IF YOU ARE ABOUT TO EAT OR IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH IN ANY WAY....CLOSE THE BLOG NOW.


Terri Reser told me the funniest story of this Fish Spa she saw in Mexico.  I remember quite a ladies night where she described the process and I had chills. The little toothless fish nibble on flaky dead skin and the result is perfectly exfoliated feet. In the end, everyone wins. 
We of course, saw the same thing the first day we were in Mallorca. By Sunday my curiosity was insatiable and I had to dare to try it. 
 This is me screaming at the touch of the fish at the first dip. 



I never saw how disgusting it was until the photo because I couldn't look. I had to pretend I was somewhere else the whole time. It does work but at such a cost to the nerves.