STOPMenorca 2008

And we're off

2008-04-29T15:19:00.012+01:00

We left Roquetes on Wednesday afternoon, Wednesday the 23 of April. During the afternoon Fredo, Guillem and I organized the instruments and things that we had to take with us on the trip and got everything ready for loading the bus.

"Vam sortir de Roquetes dimecres dia 23 d'Abril per la tarde. Durant tot es capvespre en Fredo, en Guillem i jo vam organitzar es instruments i totes aquelles coses que teníem que agafar pes viatge per a que tot anigués bé per a carregar s'autobús".

The students started to arrive at about half past four and they were soon all on the bus.

"Els alumnes van començar a arribar a les 16:30 i prest van estar tots a nes bus"

We had a slight delay because Guillem had forgotten to pack his own bag and had to go to do it making us late in leaving.

"Vam tenir un petit retràs perque en Guillem va oblidar agafar es seu equipatge i va tenir que anar a fer-lo antes de partir"

When he finally got on the bus there was a lot of loud cheering and whistling!

"Quan finalment va arribar, va ser rebut amb ovacions i siulades"

We got to the port of Barcelona with no trouble, the port is at the bottom of the Ramblas and right next to the statue of Colom.

"Vam arribar a nes port de Barcelona sense problemes. El port està a sa part baixa de les rambles i just a la dreta de s'estatua de Colon"

Inside we had to transport all the material onto the boat, something that was not easy but got better over the length of the holiday.

"Un cop a dins vam tenir que transportar el material a l'interior des barco, cosa que no va ser fàcil però durant es viatge va anar millor"

Here you can see we had two pianos, a complete drumset and various boxes with diverse instruments.

"Aquí podeu veure que noltros teníem 2 pianos, una completa bateria i diferents caixes amb diferents instruments"

Student logic prevailed and Arnal and the others insisted in going down the escalator even though there was a perfectly acceptable set of stairs right next door.

"La lògica del alumnes va fer que Arnal i els altres van insistir en baixar per les escales mecàniques quan en tenien unes de normals just al costat de la porta"

On the boat and with the instruments and the baggage all stowed we only had a short time before the evening meal. Right from the off some of the students started to complain that they were feeling seasick, ok there was a little movement but nothing that could have possibly made anyone ill. Most of them ate well.

"Un cop a nes barco, i amb es instruments i s'equipatge colocats, només vam tenir una mica de temps abans de sopar. Just quan vam partir, alguns alumnes es van començar a sentir maretjats.
Bé, sa veritat és que es barco es movia un poc, però res que de s'altre món. Sa majoria d'ells van estar bé"

And here ended the first day, well almost. Some of us were up till late playing cards in the bar and a few were up to an even more ridiculous hour, about half past four, chatting.

"I aquí va acabar es primer dia. Tot va anar bé. Alguns de noltros mos vam anar a dormir tard jugant a cartes a nes bar i uns quants van estar una hora més parlant"

Most people tried to sleep, not many managed to.

"Sa majoria va triar dormir, tot i que no tots ho van aconseguir"

The first day

2008-04-29T15:15:00.004+01:00

On the first morning we were up before six as Fredo had told us that it would be worth getting up to see the sun come up and the entrance to the port of Mao.

"Es primer matí mos vam aixecar antes de les 6 tal i com en Fredo mos va dir que teniem que fer per tal de veure sortir es sol i veure s'entrada a es port de Maó"

Of course we were both able to shower and have a shave (well me at least) before going to look for the students, the advantages of having a cabin on the boat.

"Evidentment, noltros vam tenir s'oportunitat de fer-nos una ducha i d'afeitar-mos antes d'anar a veure es estudiants, ses aventatges de tenir camerot "

They were not so lucky. Reclining seats are never a good way to sleep and on the Wysteria they are not the modern ones and so are even worst for sleeping.

"Ells no estaven tant contents. Es assientos reclinables no han estat mai una bona manera de dormir i a nes Wysteria no eren gaire moderns i son bastant incòmodos per a dormir"

Still they look as if they are sleeping well enough.

"Tot i així, sembla que ells dormien prou bé"

Some even brought a sleeping bag as a blanket.

"Alguns d'ells utilitzaven un sac de dormir com a manta"

Some didn't appreciate being woken up at six in the morning!

"Alguns d'ells no van apreciar es fet de tenir-se que aixecar a les sis des matí"

And others couldn't be woken at all!

"I uns altres no estaven desperts del tot"

The port of Maó

2008-04-29T15:00:00.001+01:00

This is the map from google of the port.

"Aquest és es mapa des port de Maó que hem tret des google"

View Larger Map

The first day, arriving in port

2008-04-28T13:45:00.002+01:00

Once we had woken up most of them we got them out on to the deck to enjoy the fresh air and to watch the sun coming up as we glided into the port of Mao.

"Un cop ja haviem despertat a sa majoria des alumnes, amb sortir tots fora a sa coberta des barco per a disfrutar de s'aire fresc i per a veure sortir es sol mentres entravem a es port de Maó"

Though as you can see a lot of them don't really look as if they are fully appreciating the wonderful opportunity Fredo and I were giving them.

"Com podeu veure, molts d'ells no feien aspecte de disfrutar de sa preciosa oportunitat que en Fredo i jo els hi estavem donant"

And some of them even went back to sleep on the floor of the observation deck, when the deck with their seats was one flight up.

"I alguns d'ells van tornar a dormir al terra de sa coberta, mentres que ses butaques simplement estaven unes escales més amunt"

Eventually we all went towards the bow and were able to actually see the entrance to the port, which in fact is also well worth seeing.

"També vam anar cap a sa proa des barco per a veure s'entrada a es port, cosa que realment val la pena"

Alfredo pointed out to people where he lives, where his parents live and even a small beach on Sa Illa del Rei where he rowed to for a stag night in a canoe with some friends.

"En Fredo va ensenyar a sa gent allà on ell vivia i allà on viuen es seus pares i també una petita platja a S'Illa del Rei on ell va anar amb canoa per a nedar amb uns amics "

The first day, the school and the alberg

2008-04-27T13:56:00.004+01:00

Just as we were arriving to the dock we saw these two minuscule figures waving madly at the boat, they were Fredo's parents who had come to meet us all. More specifically they had also come to give us all a copy of the local newspaper from the 22nd which had an article in it about the orchestra coming to play.

"Just quan estàvem arribant a nes moll, vam veure dues minúscules figures fent senyals cap es barco. Ells eren es pares den Fredo, que van venir a donar-nos sa benvinguda. Més especialment, ells van venir a donar-nos una copia a cada un des diari local de Menorca on sortia sa notícia de que s'orquesta anava a tocar allà"

So we had the curious sight, once we had disembarked and loaded everything into the bus, of seeing all 49 students with their newspaper open reading quietly as the bus pulled away.

"Noltros ho vam veure una vegada havíem desenbarcat i estàvem a s'interior des barco. Tots es alumnes estàven quiets llegint es seus diaris"

It was very weird.

"Era un fet bastant estrany"

Crossing the length of Menorca took about 45 mins and if nothing else was interesting as it gave us a chance to see what the island is like. We arrived in Ciutadella and soon found the school we had arranged to perform with.

"Mentres creuavem s'illa de Menorca durant uns 45 minuts, anàvem comentant lo molt que mos agradava lo que veiem de s'illa. Vam arribar a Ciutadella i es al·lots van veure s'escola on anàvem a tocar"

We soon unloaded everything and stored it all in their music room ready for setting up later on that morning.

"Ho vam tenir que baixar tot i ho vam guardar tot dins s'aula de música que ells tenien allà preparada"

By this time some people had woken up, enough at least to react when faced with a camera. Though no one knows what Maria and Marta are doing here.

"Durant aquest temps, alguns d'ells s'anaven despertant, almenos lo suficient com per a reaccionar davant una camara. Encara no sabem què estaven fent aquí na Marta i na Maria"

Others of course just went back to sleep, not that I remember them having been awake actually.

"Uns altres, per descomptat, van tornar a dormir, i no record si actualment ja s'han despert"

The first day: Concerts

2008-04-26T07:59:00.011+01:00

Our first day in Menorca and despite not having hardly slept we had to carry out the musical part of the trip with two concerts.

"Es nostro primer dia a Menorca i a pesar de que no vam dormir gaire noltros vam tenir que portar a terme es dos concerts"

The first one in the morning was with the school Guillem had been able to contact to act as our host on the trip. This school, El Colegio Silesià, or as Fredo said it is known... Calos, had kindly let us leave all the instruments there in their music room whilst we went to the Alberg to allocate the rooms and then to have breakfast. Once this was done we made our way back to the school through Ciutadella and then everyone had to move the material into the church where we were to do the concert.

"Es primer concert el vam fer conjuntament amb s'escola des Salesians (també coneguda com Calos) de Ciutadella amb sa que en Guillem havia contactat. S'institut de Ciutadella mos havia deixat que guardessim es nostros instruments mentres anàvem a s'alberg i tornàvem una altra vegada per a fer s'actuació. Quan vam arribar una altra vegada a s'institut per a poder fer es concert, vam tenir que dur una altra vegada tots es instruments fins a s'iglesia on vam fer es concert "

Everybody's first obligation was rehearsal, despite how everyone was feeling.

"Sa primera obligació va ser ensayar, a pesar de com es sentien"

Soon our contact in the school, Josep Colom, brought down the students of his that were going to perform their own piece of music. They were immediately invited to play with us.

"Prest, es nostre contacte amb s'escola, en Josep Colom, va fer baixar es seus estudiants que tenien que tocar una peça conjunta amb es nostro grupo de música. Ells van ser ràpidament convidats a tocar amb noltros"

When the teachers started to bring in our audience we saw that although we had been told only a couple of classes would be coming to the concert there had obviously been a change on mind. The church soon filled up and we had their whole school there to listen to us. Were people nervous? It would be hard to say as people were so sleepy!

"Quan es professor van començar a arribar, de seguida mos vam donar compte de que, a pesar de que mos havien dit que només vindríen a sentir-nos un parell de classes, tot s'institut sencer havia baixat fins a s'iglesia per a sentir sa nostra actuació. No sabem si açò va fer que es alumnes es posessin nirviosos (nerviosos en català), ja que encara estaven bastant dormits"

In the end the orchestra performed wonderfully, Nothing else matters, Pirates and the blues piece. The Calos group also performed their prepared piece which was a musical composition for xylophone and was extraordinary.

"Finalment, s'orquesta va tocar Nothing Else matters, Piratas del Caribe i una peça de Blues. En canvi, s'institut de Ciutadella només va tacar una melodia amb xilòfons que va estar molt bé"

The audience was enthusiastic and very lively! Everything went really well and it was perhaps over too soon.

"Es públic va quedar entusiasmat. Tot va anar molt bé i potser s'actuació es va fer un pel curta"

After we had packed everything away we were invited to a drink in the bar that is part of the school.

"Después mos van convidar a fer una beguda a nes bar de s'escola"

While we were having a cup of coffee we were able to talk to the director of the school, Genoveva, and the teacher of music Josep, about the trip and the problems or organising such activities in schools today.

"Mentres noltros estàvem fent un cafè, vam estar xerrant amb sa directora de s'institut, na Genoveva, i amb en Josep, es seu professor de música, sobre es nostro viatge i es problemes per a organitzar-ho tot"

Of course not everybody was able to stand the pace.

"Per descomptat, no tots estàven en disposició de seguir es ritme"

The first day: Playing in Ciutadella

2008-04-25T09:42:00.001+01:00

This is the map from Google of the Placa de los Pins, where we played our second concert in the afternoon of the first day.

"Aquest és es mapa on podem veure sa plaça des pins i que hem agafat des google. En aquesta plaça és on vam fer sa nostra actuació des capvespre es primer dia"

Mostra un mapa més gran

After we finished at the school in the morning we went back to the Alberg where we had lunch.

"Quan vam acabar s'actuació des matí a s'institut, vam tornat a s'alberg per a dinar"

The first day: Cap a dinar

2008-04-24T09:48:00.004+01:00

Lunch at the Alberg was a nice suprise as it was in fact very good, not to the taste of all the students of course but mainly a success.

"Es dinar de s'alberg va resultar ser tota una sorpresa, ja que va estar bastant bé, tot i que, com sempre, hi va haver algun alumne a nes que no li va agradar del tot"

In this picture you can see the port of Ciutadella at the bottom of the steps, steps that we had to go up and down every day and once even with all the instruments.

"En aquesta foto, podeu veure es port de Ciutadella baix de ses escales, unes escales que, per cert, vam tenir que pujar i baixar cada dia fins i tot amb es instruments"

Most people were really hungry, perhaps because they didn't eat too well on the boat.

"Sa majoria de sa gent tenia bastanta gana, possiblement perque no van menjar gaire en es barco"

The cook in the Alberg was lovely the only problem was that she only spoke real "menorqui" and this was actually quite difficult to understand. We were able to practise though and we soon discovered things like "sa aiguuu" for water.

"Sa cuinera de s'alberg era molt simpàtica. S'únic problema va ser que ella només parlava autèntic menorquí, cosa que feia que tinguéssim alguns problemes per a poder-la entendre. No vam tardar gaire en descobrir noves paraules, com "s'aigu", que vol dir "l'aigua""

The only small problem was that everyone disappeared off to sleep after lunch leaving us the teachers to wipe down the tables and clean up the dining room, a lack of understanding about the idea behind an Alberg.

"S'únic petit problema va ser que después de dinar vam tenir que ser es professor (i alguns alumnes, però pocs) qui vam tenir que fer net ses taules i es menjador. Es deurien pensar que estaven en un hotel i no en un alberg"

In the period after lunch most people said they wanted to sleep, and then proceeded to spend the time screaming and shouting just outside our door. To the point where I had to go out and remind them politely to shut up.

"Después de dinar, molts van dir que volien dormir un poquet, però realment es van dedicar i cridar justet davant de sa nostra habitació, fet que va provocar que tingués que sortir unes quantes vegades per a fer-los callar"

Other people were just silly.

"Uns altres, feien tonteries"

This is a first in the now famous series of films called, "Suicidis Menorca".

The first day: Plaza de los Pinos (1)

2008-04-23T10:37:00.002+01:00

After lunch, after clearing up after lunch, after sleeping a while, after shouting at the students who weren't sleeping... we went to the Plaza de los Pins and set up for the concerts in the afternoon.

"Después de dinar i después d'have-nos arreglat una miqueta, vam anar cap a sa Plaça des Pins, on vam fer es concert des capvespre"

Of course some of us worked more than others. Fredo was worried because we didn't have any chairs there at the beginning but he phoned his contact at the council and a lorry soon arrived with all the missing chairs, another example of how any organitzational problems we had were the result of other people's mistakes not his excellent planning.

"Per descomptat, uns vam treballar més que uns altres. En Fredo estava preocupat perque no havien arribat ses cadire. Va tenir que telefonar a nes seus contactes per a que duguessin ses cadires lo més ràpid possible. Sembla que no tothom estava tan organitzat com ho estàvem noltros"

After setting up rehearsal followed.

"Después de muntar-ho tot, vam començar a ensayar"

When the first concert started we had a good audience of people who had been attracted to the park after hearing the orchestra tune up and rehearse.

"Quant es primer concert va començar, teníem una bona audiència d'espectadors que ens havien sentit tocar en es parc mentres estàvem ensayant"

There was one small problem when Mari Pau completely failed to give the soloist the correct note for the introduction to Nothing Else Matters and the beginning of the song had to be repeated, a mistake that we can forgive I suppose. Fortunately the resulting sound was not recorded by anyone and so has been lost forever.

"Hi va haver un petit problema quan na Mari Pau no va agafar sa nota correcte per a començar Nothing Else matter i vam tenir que repetir es començament de sa cançó, cosa que no va resultar cap problema. Per sort, no vam grabar-ho"

The first day: Playing in Ciutadella... (2)

2008-04-22T10:56:00.006+01:00

Once final rehearsing was finished, and Guillem had sorted out the final problems...

"Finalment vam acabar amb es primer ensay i en Guillem va solucionar es problemes"

The first concert went really well, people were more relaxed than in the morning in the school and this showed in the quality of the music.

"Es primer concert va anar molt bé, sa gent estava és relaxada que es matí a s'institut i açó es va notar en sa qualitat des concert"

Even Mr Poyo was perfectly prepared for the concert, concentration, position, poise...

"Fins i tot es senyor pollastre estava perfectament preparat pes concert, ben concentrat, posicionat, amb seguretat,..."

Some people were perhaps a little too relaxed but never mind.

"Alguns alumnes estaven potser un poc massa relaxats..."

The high point of the two concerts would have to be Guillem's face when in the middle of one of the pieces he suddenly saw a friend of his that he hadn't seen for at least six years or so. She also happened to be very attractive and stayed around to chat to him after the concert had finished, much to the delight of the students.

"Es moment més important des concert va ser veure sa cara den Guillem quan en mig des concert ell va veure a una amiga que feia sis anys que no veia. Ella, que era molt atractiva, va xerrar amb en Guillem quan va acabar es concert i, és clar, es alumnes s'ho van passar molt bé fent bromes...."

The second concert was even more relaxed than the first had been but Guillem said he was very happy with the way people had played because they had been enjoying themselves and had relaxed into the music much more than during the morning.

"Es segon concert encara va ser més relaxat que es primer, però en Guillem va estar realment molt content amb sa manera en que es alumnes havien tocat perque s'ho van passar molt bé i van disfrutar molt de sa música"

Once we finished the second concert, to generous applause fromt the audience that again had gathered, we packed up and had to transport everything all the way across Ciutadella to the Alberg. Not easy, especially considering all the steps involved in going down to the port.

"Quan vam acabar es segon concert, vam rebre un gran aplaudiment per part de tots es espectadors. Vam tenir que transportar una altra vegada tots es instruments fins a s'alberg. Va ser bastant dur, sobretot tenint en compte tots es escalons que hi havia dalt des port"

All in all for the first day in Menorca, for the musical day in Menorca during which the orchestra had to play no less than three concerts it was a tremendous success.

"Total, es primer dia a Menorca vam tocar ni més ni menys que tres concerts amb sa nostra orquesta, fet que va resultar bastant dur (bé, potser no tant....)"

We would like to give out special thanks to Josep and the school of Los Calos in Ciutadella for their hospitality on this trip and also for the wonderful music they played for us and with us.

"Mos agradaria molt donar les gràcies a Josep i s'institut de Calos de Ciutadella per lo bé que es van portar amb noltros i per sa seva hospitalitat, i també per sa bona música que van tocar amb noltros"

Finally don't ever refuse if I want to take a photo of you.

On the way home with all the intruments.

"Cap a casa amb tots ses instruments."

The first evening

2008-04-20T11:26:00.005+01:00

In the evening of the first day after supper a meeting was held in which we discovered that not many of the students were really good at telling jokes and also it was decided that there would be an excursion to Ciutadella that evening for those of the students that wanted to go.

"Es vespre des primer dia, después de sopar, vam comprovar que hi havia pocs alumnes que realment tenien ganes de sortir a fer una volta per Ciutadella. Sa majoria preferia quedar a contar chistes i anar de visites per ses habitacions"

The night out was... not memorable. Ciutadella on a Thursday evening is closed. We went to a pub in the port area and there was no one else there except us.

"Bé, sa nit no va ser gran cosa. Ciutadella té es bars tancats es dijous vespre i vam tenir que anar a un pub des port i no hi havia ningú més que noltros"

Unfortunately for the students with us none of them knew that Guillem before he studied had been a professional "futbollin" player, playing in the world league and reaching the ranking of second in Valencia and sixteenth in the world. They soon found out though.

"Per desgràcia per es alumnes, ells no sabíen que antes de que en Guillem estudiés, ell havia practicat molt amb es futbolín i s'havia convertit amb un autèntic mestre, quedant fins i tot segon de València i sisè del món. No van tardar gaire a descobrir-ho"

Though it would appear otherwise, no alcohol was drunk by anyone.

"Tot i que ho pot semblar, ningú no va beure alcohol"

After we left the pub it wasn't nearly one O'clock, our deadline for returning to the Alberg, so we decided to go for a walk in the streets of Ciutadella. No photos exist but there is a video of the monumental game of tag that followed. Guillem as we were walking suddenly said, "why don't we play something?" Without hesitation I replied, "ok, you're it" and so we all played "altureta" in the streets of Ciutadella and then finally in La Plaza de ses Palmeres". Rules were agreed and the police came round to see us all playing at least twice. It was one of those silly moments that was fantastic if you were there and just seems stupid if you weren't.

"Vam sortir de pub cap allà a la 1 des matí i, tot i que teniem ganes de tornar a s'alberg, vam decidir anar a fer una volta per Ciutdella. No hi ha fotos d'aquests moments, però sí que hi ha un video que reflexa a lo que vam jugar. En Guillem volia jugar a alguna cosa i jo vaig proposar jugar a Altura pes carrers de Ciutadella, més concretament a sa Plaça de ses Palemeres. Tot i que pot semblar bastant estupid per sa gent que no hi era, sa veritat és que mos ho vam passar molt bé"

The second day: Cala Mitjana

2008-04-20T08:02:00.005+01:00

First of all on the second day Fredo, with great foresight, took us to a small residential estate where we all got off the bus and walked up a small shady path to a point on the rocks above a bay just so that we could get a good first impression of the beaches of Menorca, it is called El Mirador de Cala Galdana. What an impression! The view that was waiting for us seemed like a picture postcard, the sort of view that is put on all the tourist pamphlets.

Poetically as if to just set off the photo, a small white motor boat sailed serenely across the middle of the bay.

On the second day everyone was up and ready, collected their picnic lunch, and was out of the alberg to the bus by more or less eleven. Then, after Fredo had consulted, with his family about the state of the beaches, we headed out for the first stop in our "cultural" agenda.

Before everyone was finally ready to leave a small group started playing parchis, a long and boring game at the best of times but good for wasting time.

As they were playing the long hours and the three concerts caught up with a certain person... there is a nasty rumour that she actually started snoring! But this is only a rumour and unfortunately the video that they say proves this has been lost in the process of editing this blog ;) aaaaaaaaaahhh, what a pity.

This was the first impression people had of Cala Mitjana.

It was great to hear everyone going ooooh and aaaah when they say the turquoise waters of the Cala. It was a ten minute walk to the beach but worth the effort.

Once there people played volleyball (I will get you back you wait and see), football, some brave souls even went into the water, which admittedly was incredibly inviting, others just sunbathed. I put my foot into the water and it was absolutely freezing!!

Fredo told me about the headland on the left and how you could jump from the top. Fredo, Ferran and I went to investigate and indeed when you climb the rock and work your way round to the far side there is a wonderful jump into the clear water of the small Cala behind it. We stood there looking at it and commenting on how high it was and, well... I can't resist jumps like that. Ferran jumped shortly after me and we swam back round the headland to the beach. Once there we soon climbed back up with quite a lot of the others and the video camera.

The real problem here was not the jump, the real problem was the temperature of the water, it was a real shock to enter the water in this way. As you see in the video a lot of people jumped, we had a couple of problems with bikini tops and other things but mainly it was a lot of fun. Maite was up there for a long time trying to find the courage to jump, she finally did, but only when we had all swam back to the beach and Fredo had taken the camera back as well.

The second day: Binigaus

2008-04-18T10:43:00.004+01:00

At midday we abandoned Cala Mitjana, walked all the way back to the bus (though some people almost got lost) and then drove across the island to another beach, the beach of Binigaus.

This beach was a different atmosphere, the water was cleaner and the sand too. Everyone had their packed lunch and was able to relax in the sun.

Surprisingly for me I didn't take hardly any photos, this is one that was taken (though not by me). I will leave it up to all of you to remember or guess who these feet belong to, the only clue I will give is that they are not from the same person!

Fredo and Guillem played a game of one on one football in which the spectators were able to observe Fredo's skills as a goalkeeper, after all he was the goalkeeper for Menorca for several years before he came to the mainland.

We did take a collective photo, actually taken by a friend of mine who joined us there with his wife and son, and it is a nice souvenir of our day at the beach in Menorca. The only thing that bothers me is that the photo is taken level with the beach and as a result the sea in the background appears to be sloping! Very odd.

On the way home a sort of collective madness took hold of everyone, a musical madness.

The second day: Dinner at the Club Nautic Ciutadella

2008-04-17T10:54:00.000+01:00

In the evening of the second day when everyone had had the chance to recover from the long day at the beach and to shower and sleep, well some of them anyway, we had to walk across Ciutadella to have supper at the Club Nautic.

Before we left other people perfected their skills in other areas.

At the Club everyone enjoyed a good meal with only the distraction of a large group of young men outside the windows who were constantly asking if some of our students could go outside to be with them. Yes, Arnal made lots of friends!

Everyone at this table got really serious, I don't know why.

Fredo was charming as always!

The final day, a little culture

2008-04-16T10:19:00.001+01:00

Our final day and the day we had to do a little culture. In fact there are so many things on Menorca that are worth seeing that in the short time we had available it was very difficult to decide what to do. In the afternoon we had to be at the port so we really only had the morning and midday.

First thing in the morning we had breakfast picked up our lunch and said goodbye to the staff of the alberg. Though the alberg was not a hotel we can't complain about it in anyway and the staff were especially friendly. Even though I have to admit that I couldn't understand the cook at all, her menorcan accent was like a seperate language to me.

The only funny thing can be seen here in this photo.

Why Raquel appeared in her pyjamas in the middle of breakfast I have no idea.

The first part of the morning was spent in an important social activity that nearly all the students insisted on participating in, shopping.

Walking around Ciutadella Fredo saw this great bicycle out in the street, we couldn't resist it and had to take a photo of him on it. Fredo is a great amateur cyclist and at one point almost became a professional instead of being a maths teacher.

Shopping was pleasant and buying sobresada and cheese became fun when the girl in the shop, "sa lotta" offered us a "ginet" whilst we were waiting. Half past ten in the morning and drinking gin! Fortunately the glasses were very small and we drank more fanta de lima than gin.

After shopping we all went back to the alberg to meet the bus. Everything was loaded onto the bus and we headed off for our first real cultural visit.

This was to La Naveta d'es Tudons. An ancient monument shaped like an upside down boat.

As you know this ancient monument was originally a prehistoric disco, in ancient times when the island was much smaller this site was the highest point on the island and the people of the island built this monument in the shape of a boat to symbolise that... Well this was the story that Guillem and I tried to make people believe as we walked to the monument.

We didn't really get much of a chance to convince people as when we got there Fredo had already started to explain the real legend. As Fredo told everyone the real legend says that two giants had a competition to win the hand of a local girl. One built a well and the other the monument, when the giant digging the well finished first the second giant was so angry that he took the last stone from the monument and threw it at the first giant. For this reason the monument is missing one stone. You can see where the stone is missing in the photo underneath, it is the top left stone.

What we did manage to convinve people of is that if anyone finds the missing stone the island will sink into the sea, something we invented and Fredo told everyone as if it were true.

Here is Fredo telling the real legend.

El Toro

2008-04-15T11:42:00.000+01:00

Our next stop was El Toro. So it was back to the bus and off again across the island. By this point everybody was singing along to the music on the bus and we at the front were chatting away happily to the driver of the bus.

Monte Toro is the highest point on Menorca, it is Menorca's mountain. Fredo told us that the tradiiton says that if you want to wish for something you have to go up the mountain on foot to make the wish come true. We went by bus. Once there everyone went their different ways to eat their packed lunch and to relax a bit. I asked Fredo to show me round the monastery that is up there and to tell me a little about the different areas of the island, most of which you can see from the top. Since then I have found a virtual tour of the top of El Toro which is here, and in this you can see the view for yourself.

We didn't do an awful lot more than enjoy the sun on the terrace of the bar and relax. Other people were busier than us.

As you can see it was windy up there. The best thing about El Toro for me was the ice cream that Fredo told Guillem and I we had to try. It was an ice cream made and sold only on the islands and really was exceptional.

Oh and we took a few photos.

By the way he survived.

La Cova d'en Xoroi (o el soroll)

2008-04-14T23:39:00.014+01:00

This cave is a fascinating natural cave in the side of the cliffs that are the coast of Menorca near the port of Maò. Nowadays it's a bar and disco but the legend says that originally it was inhabited by a local pirate who discovered it and used it as his secret base. One night he stole a beautiful local girl to live with him and they lived and raised a family right there in the caves. Then one day locals found some footprints in the soft sand, those of the girl, which led them to the caves. Xoroi seeing that he had been discovered jumped to his death from the mouth of the cave together with his eldest son. A terrible story but a great disco.

On the stairs down to the cave

The cliffs in which the cave is located.

Inside the cave, now a disco.

The ghost of the pirate En Xoroi attacking some of out students.
Some of us decided to just sit back in the sun and enjoy the scenery relaxing to the chill out music they were playing.

Relaxing and watching the sun go down in a spectacular sunset.

The view was spectacular no matter where you were.

Other wanted to enjoy a more bar like atmosphere.

Taking silly photographs...

The first time she took a picture of us we were convinced she was looking at Brad Pitt who was behind us because she wasn't pointing the camera at us.

But the second time was ok.

Fredo was buying shares in Telefonica to add to his portfolio.

The final day: We have a boat to catch

2008-04-12T00:39:00.006+01:00

With everything done, when the music finally stops it is time to go home. The atmosphere on the bus returning to Maò to catch the boat was different from that we had enjoyed the day before. Most people were quiet, there wasn't a lot of singing. People staring out of the windows with serious faces. Of course you can always count on Mr Pollo for a smile.

"Amb sa feina tota feta, quan ja s'ha acabat sa música és hora de tornar cap a casa. S'atmòsfera dins d'autobús de tornada cap a Maó per a agafar es barco era diferent que es dies anteriors. Sa majoria de sa gent estava quieta, casi ningú estava cantant. Estaven tots bastant serios. Per supost, sempre post comptar amb es somriure de Mr Pollo"

Eventually even Arnal was quiet.

"Arnal també està quiet de tant en tant"

Ferran looks cool here but a second before he had been fast asleep.

We drove into the port and slowly passed all the luxury motor yachts moored on the water front. The sun was just setting behind the hills on the other side of the port.

"Aquí en Ferran fa bona cara, però uns segons abans estava dormint"

Finally we could see her, the Wysteria, the same boat we had taken to come to Menorca was there waiting for us to take us home.

"Finalment, vam poder veure es Wysteria, es mateix barco amb es que vam venir cap a Menorca. Mos estava esperant per a tornar cap a casa"

The last activity for us on Menorca. We had to go and collect the ensaimadas! This meant a good walk from the port up the hill that the city of Maò is located on to a small shop in a square in front of a church where Fredo had ordered all the ensaimadas. The whole process of ordering them had been complicated in itself, collecting them was also a lengthy process which needed strict control over the anima... the students. We were almost finished when Guillem started to phone us asking if we were coming and the boat was about to sail etc.

"Sa nostra darrera activitat a Menorca. Vam tenir que anar a recollir ses ensaimades. Vam tenir que pujar dalt d'una costa de Maó fins a arribar a una petita botiga on en Fredo havia encarregat ses ensaimades i que hi ha davant d'una iglesia. Es procés per a fer es encàrrecs de totes ses ensaimades va ser prou difícil i ho vam tenir que fer amb deteniment i amb bastant de control dels alumnes. Quan vam acabar, en Guillem mos va telefonar demanant si ja estàvem anant un altre cop cap es barco, perque ja quedava poc temps"

Back on the boat people made themselves comfortable for another unforgettable night sleeping in the travel seats, we had supper and we played cards for a while.

There was time for a last photograph.

"De tornada dins es barco, sa gent es va començar a preparar per a una altra incòmoda nit dormint a ses butaques des barco. Vam sopar i vam jugar a cartes un ratet. Hi va haver temps per a una darrera foto"

There was even time for Fredo to fall asleep on the seats while we were playing cards.

"Mentres noltros jugavem a cartes, en Fredo va aprofitar per a dormir una estona"

Fortunately the students were there to look after him. Or is Edgar about to stick something up his nose?

"Per sort, els alumnes eren allà per a veure'l"

Finally all we are left with are the memories...

SuperModelo STOPMenorca 2008

2008-04-11T08:28:00.010+01:00

Finally and just for fun here we present the candidates for the title of SuperModelo STOPMenorca 2008, the jury, Huw, Fredo and Guillem, will decide the winner and announce the results of the competition at the next STOP journey abroad.

"Finalment, us presentem els candidats per al concurs de SuperModelo StopMenorca 2008. Es jurat, En Huw, en Guillem i en Fredo decidiran els guanyadors anunciant es resultat de sa competició a sa pròxima reunió de sa banda Stop"

Please leave a comment and your vote.

"Per favor, deixa es teu comentari i es teu vot"