Saturday, April 16, 2011

Mahon, Menorca

We’re gliding into town through what’s said to be the largest natural harbor in the world. Since Menorca is also a tiny island, I’m forced to conclude that half of it consists of harbor. But what a sight for sore eyes; I feel home at once. Tiny European houses built smack on the shore, which is doable because there are no tides here. The Med feels like a big lake to sailors; no tides, no swell to speak of. But if Al Gore is right and the water level will rise by two meters, we’re in for a dip here in Europe. Unless of course they build some kind of dam across the Gibraltar Straight, with locks like they have in the Panama Canal. And do the same with the Suez Canal. They would have to install a bunch of pumps too, I guess, because then the Med won’t drain naturally into the Atlantic. It’ll take some thinking but hey, they can always come and learn from the Dutch because the Netherlands has been below sea level for centuries. We had the Southern Sea that’s now the Ijsel Lake. Who said it couldn’t be done?

And while we wait to see if Al Gore is right, we can enjoy cute ports such as that of Mahon, the capital of Menorca, which is an island in the Balearic group that also contains Ibiza and Mallorca. These islands have been inhabited since the Neolithic era. There are remnants aplenty; boulders turned upright defying time and leaving the onlookers guessing at the why of them. Then there are traces of the Romans and pretty much every invading force since. We pass buildings on little islets that are unmistakably Napoleonic, but quickly the coast is dappled with splendid waterfront villas, all with private beaches and docks and boat houses. Downtown, where we end up, a boulevard filled with restaurants and bars curves along the water’s edge. Yachts of all sizes are tied up in rows, and there’s even a blue fisher boat from Barendrecht, a Dutch city close to where I was born.

Menorca’s claim to fame is the invention of salsa mahonesa, known in the rest of the world as mayonnaise.


A bastion from the Napoleonic era in the harbor of Mahon, Menorca


The Barendrecht, making Mahon, Menorca look like a toy town.
Down town Mahon, Menorca
The boulevard of Mahon, Menorca
Saint Francesc Cathedral, Mahon, Menorca
Waterfront of Mahon, Menorca
Villas in the harbor of Mahon, Menorca
Villas in the harbor of Mahon, Menorca


12 comments:

  1. I love mayonnaise but I've never known where it was invented, nice share.

    ReplyDelete
  2. priceless photos you've got there. as priceless as your experience in that wonderful place, i'm sure

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have not been to Menorca before, but will slot in my trip while traveling for business Madrid end of this year.

    Thanks for the shooting, you got nice photos out there:)

    Simon

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! I have never been here before. Totally clueless. Seems to be a beauty to me! Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice collection regarding the different places...I really like the images...

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a nice photographs. I would love to make a trip to menorca as soon as possible.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for sharing your information on Menorca Villas.I like those pictures which you have posted in this post.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi, nice post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for sharing. I will certainly be subscribing to your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  9. At 354 metres above sea level Mount Toro is the only real mountain on Menorca, and a visit to the 17th Century Sanctuary of the Mare de Déu del Toro at its peak is often included in many of the tour operators "see Menorca in a day" type island tours. The ME-1 is the only main road on the island which joins Mahon on the east coast to the former capital Ciudadela in the west, and this road effectively splits the island in two.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I’ve always heard that Menorca was one of the best places to visit – after looking at the photos, I want to go more than ever – wonderful job on this post!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...