She Led With Her Chin

We sailed all night and landed in Menorca this morning, the second largest of the four Balearic islands, and the eastern most point of Spain.  The largest is nearby Majorca, and this one – Menorca – is only 30 miles x 12 miles, and very flat.  It is the second deepest natural harbor in the world next to .  . . you guessed it, Pearl Harbor.  Its original settlers were 3,000 BC, and it has seen many regimes come and go including the Romans, the British, and the Spaniards most recently.

Our tour guide today was a Brit, originally from London, who came here as a temporary tour guide 29 years ago and she’s still here.  As she explained it, “I went home for Christmas and it was raining and dreary.  Here I can do nothing more than sit and look at the beautiful ocean in beautiful weather year round.”  And, as well it should always be on Friday, it was sunny and about 75 degrees - just beautiful, indeed.

We headed west from our harbor port of Mahon toward Fornells, a seaside town of villas with most of the population there during their season – May through October.  Water sports are, of course, the main attraction although there was a lovely church (Saint Marti) with the main focus the sailors who would go to mass there before setting out for their catch.

After Fornells, we traveled to the highest point on the island, Monte Toro.   Here we were told a beautiful story about 14^th. century monks living at the foot of the mountain.  One night they spied a light on top of the mountain, so hiked up to see what it was.  It was coming from a cave at the top and a bull helped break through the wall where they found a statue of the Virgin Mary.   They brought it back down the mountain, but the next day when they awoke it was, alas, gone!  

And, guess where it was?  Back to the top of the mountain it had gone, so they decided it meant they were to build a church there, and they did in the 14^th. century.  The cave where the statue was found is visible but blocked by an iron gate.   The imagery at the altar features Mary, Jesus, and, of course, the bull who helped the monks uncover the statue lying at the feet of Mary.

 The focal point of Monte Toro is, of course, the large statue of Jesus with his arms outspread much like the one (smaller of course) that overlooks Rio de Janeiro.  It, too, is beautiful and, again, inspires one to think about things far beyond our small life here on earth. 

Back on the bus after enjoying our view and an absolutely delicious coffee at their small restaurant.  We were dropped off in Mahon in the middle of their – guess what – shopping district.  Cheryl managed to zero in on the “I-just-have-to-have-a pair-of those-oh-so-cute-shoes”.   And me, fool for her pretty face that I am, said “great idea!”

Tonight we’re having dinner with the couple I think we like the best of all we’ve met on this trip.   They’re a couple of 70-year old Aussies named Ted and Jan Teasdale, and their charm never ends.   We had lunch with them when we got back to the ship and Ted was telling me that he’d met an interesting American woman this morning who felt compelled to talk politics.  He described it as “she led with her chin so I smacked her” in his thick Aussie accent.  

What he meant was that she got off on a political rant, informing him that all other countries, including specifically Australia, were secondary to the U.S. (or something of that nature).    Didn’t get the full story but found his metaphor charming as if Paul Hogan himself had said it to me.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we’re in Port-Vendres, France, but if Ted gets rowdy at dinner tonight I’ll be sure to bring you the full blow by blow soon!