Palma, Mallorca

After trials and tribulations of international diplomacy, we finally reached a port that welcomed us;

Palma, Mallorca. The largest of Spain's Baleric Islands, Mallorca is a tropical paradise in the

Mediterranean.  Having cruised the Mediterranean for what seemed forever and viewing islands that we

could not dock at, everyone aboard was ready to set foot on dry land. We entered Palma harbor Tuesday

evening passing a half dozen of the largest cruise ships afloat already in port. The marinas are also

full with private boats and yachts, one almost the size of the Empire State. The city is full of tourists

from around the world.

The Empire State docked around 18:00 at the furthest dock in the harbor.  When the ship was secured,

leave was granted and the some of the cadets and crew were off to enjoy themselves in this cosmopolitan

city. It is a pictuesque town with an ancient history reflected in its architecture.  Everyone is enjoying

the variety of food available at the hundreds of resturants and cafes.The food is reasonable and delicious.   Shopping is everywhere, from

Cartier jewelry to cheap souveniers.  Pearls are a speciality of Mallorca.  It seems that every other

store is a pearl shop.

The College arranged several tours and activities to keep everyone occupied.  The most popular was a tour

of the Caves of Dracht (Dragon Caves), about 50 miles east of Palma.  These caves are chock full of

stalagtites and stalagmites formed through millions of years of erosion.  There is also a large

underground lake at the bottom and we were treated to a short classical music concert by musicians

sailing on a lighted rowboat in the darkened cave. It was an amazing exprience.  There were also

snorkeling and scuba tours as well as a deep sea fishing expedition.  I chose not to do any of those.   The

beaches have also been popular.  There is a small, rocky beach that is in walking distance from the ship, a nude beach!

 The busses that take us to town also stop at the large town beach just east of the city. The

Mediterranean is the perfect temperature for swimming.

We ship out again on the morning of July 11 and it is back to work for 10 days or so until our next port.


Sorry I haven't uploaded any pics.  I couldn't get to wifi yet in port.  These updates are done through simple email.  I have sent pics to the Maritime College and you can view them on my official college version of this blog.  I don't have the
URL, but you can Google SUNY Maritime College Luce Library blog to find it.