Went for a weeks break to Pto Alcudia, Mallorca, Spain; we could not get into our usual hotel in Pto Pollenca so we thought we would try Alcudia as it is within walking distance (40 minutes) of the S'Alberfera Nature Reserve. Had a great hotel, recommended by my travel agent granddaughter. Unfortunately it is in a very touristy area; lots of tower block type all inclusive hotels and the shops and stuff that surrounds them. We were a bit short of restaurants and only two nearby did Spanish cuisine. The others mostly were steak house, Chinese, Indian or Italian! as well as the Golden Arches, KFC and imitators. One lunchtime we went in one and some Spaniards came in about the same time. I think most British would be pretty annoyed if a UK restaurant didn't offer a British menu but this restaurant only had English or Swedish ; think someone who worked there could have been the latter. Found some good Spanish restaurants down in the port and up in the old town so not to bad for one of my other interests.
The weather is usually in the low twenties this time of year, good for walking. While we were there the temperature was in the low thirties and high twenties at night, not so good for walking. On the hottest day, we didn't know this when we set out, Thursday, we decided to walk to the reserve and the temperature reached 32C in the shade. The walk to the reserve was not too bad.
The reserve is a big one and it is over 1kM from the entrance to the information centre where you are given a free permit (a guide with maps). It is very much a wildlife reserve and the information centre is just that with no RSPB or Wildlife Trust type shops, cafes like most big UK reserves, in fact just an exhibition area and toilets; humans seemed to me to take very much second place. If you ever go there take plenty of drinking water and food. The reserve is just under 1700 hectares (about 6.5 square Miles) Most of it at this time of year is walking between dense reed, about 20ft tall. We intended to walk the whole reserve visiting the many hides and viewing platforms. We only did about a third as it got very hot, we ran out of water and began to dehydrate quite badly. we walked out of the reserve to the nearest restaurant we could find. We walked 12.45 miles on the day that is 27558 steps, burnt 3197cals and walked intensively for over four hours.
I saw about 54 species, one new species Red-knobbed Coot and several not seen for some year; Purple Swamphen for instance. Probably saw Booted Eagle but not able to get good enough views to be sure though others said it was. Species-wise the trip was a little disappointing and we must have visited on an off day. A previous visit albeit guided produced many more species on migration. We usually stay in Pto Pollenca where there are also more conveniently placed smaller reserves and some days they are full of birds and the next day very few. There were a few birds around the resort, plenty of House Sparrows, Firecrest in the pines along the beach walk, some days hirundine feeding around the trees, a Hoopoe flew over the port area and the usual gulls along the beach. A pair of terns flew along the beach one day but I didn't have my bins with me; they were probably Whiskered Terns. Usually we log about 80 species on Mallorca visits without really trying; maybe next time.
The next day we had about two hours of heavy rain and thunderstorms. Apparently it had not rain for some months so many of the locals we outside celebrating.
On Saturday the 2016 Mallorca Ironman event took place. For those who don't know it is similar to Triathlon except the swim is for 2.4 miles, the bike race for 112 miles and the run is a marathon 26+ miles; 2012 competed and about 20% did not finish. We have seen half Ironman here in the spring but this is a much more professionally organised event. It started at 07:30hrs. We arrived at about 10:00 just as the leaders went through after completing the first of two laps on the bike course. We had intended to stay for a couple of hours but stayed until about 8 in the evening. These amazing people had been swimming, riding and running all day. The first to finish did it in about 8.5hrs some finish in 15hrs without a break. There are portable toilets around the course in case you are wondering! You expect them to look super fit but they don't, they look ordinary in build, some were quite overweight. One had broken his arm just before the race but competed finishing in the top 50. Some appeared to have mobility issues, including one with a prosthetic leg. It was noticeable that many were short in stature . Males and females do the same course, some are professionals, most amateurs. Some were on automatic when finishing rather like the guy recently shown on tele. Some were kind of walking but probably thought they were running, several collapsed at the finish and needed oxygen and water. A few were crying with emotion as they finished. It was said that about 80% were competing for the first time so there was a lot of personal achievement involved. Got talking to a wife waiting for her husband to finish. 
They usually do two or three of these a year but this was the first this year due to injury. She had an app on her mobile that check him in around the course. She was getting worried as he appeared to have suddenly stop. One of his friends appeared who had run in to someone handing out drinks on the bike course. He had retired after 30 miles with a broken arm and a wrecked bike. Needless to say he was not happy having trained all year for this one event. Eventually the husband appeared up the finishing straight but looked the wrong way and didn't see her waving; on the finishing straight there are a lot of emotional encounters with friends and family. He finished in 11+ hours but usually does it in about 10. That was around 8 in the evening and after we started walking back along the route where many were still running, apparently some would not finish until midnight.
The last couple of days of our break we just wandered about looking for eateries that did local food. I particularly like grilled squid and we had some really good meals and drank lots of martini royale.
Jan & Kay
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