Review for Hotel&Spa S’Entrador Playa in Cap Ratjada, Mallorca

Through the German tour operator Neckermann, we booked our short trip to Mallorca, which included round-trip airfare with Air Berlin, 2 overnights with half board, single room, and airport – hotel transfers.

We did not expect much as it was only euro 277,– per person, but we were in for a real nice surprise.

This little arrangement welcomed us to the room.

Breakfast and dinner were buffet style. The breakfast selection was even more impressive than dinner. Even in late November, we were able to have breakfast outside and chose to have dinner inside.

breakfast area

The rooms were small and ours faced the tennis court, but even though it had a balcony, we did not have plans to spend much time in the room. We only had 48 hours to amuse ourselves on Mallorca.

Single room at the S’Entrador Playa in Cap Ratjada

By the afternoon, we could see some pale Germans sunbathing around the pool in about 20°C weather.

S’Entrador Playa pool

The hotel service (reception desk, restaurant staff, cleaning personal, etc.) was superb. The last thing I remember, is the maid wishing me a Tschüs und gute Reise! when I passed her with my suitcase. Guess I had been accustomed to maids usually looking the other way when passing them.

The hotel caters to mostly German patrons, therefore most of the staff speak German.

For more photos and information (in German), visit Hotel&Spa S’Entrador Playa on holidaycheck.de

Clocks change from DST to Normal Time

For the Sleepyheads in Germany

Most of you know by now. But just in case – this weekend, clocks change from daylight saving time (DST) to normal time 2 a.m. Sunday morning (28 October). Be sure to set your clocks back one hour.

Relish the extra hour of sleep.

Funny Franconian Hats and German Culture

This video clip shows the annual country fair (German style) in a small village in Lower Franconia. Traditionally, the two neighboring protestant villages of Sennfeld and Gochsheim have a proud display of local costumes.

This one is from Gochsheim, a village just about 12 km from my catholic hometown village of Hambach. After all these years of living somewhere else, I get to see the much talked about celebration on YouTube.

I enjoyed listening to the brass brand, but what got most of my interest are the unusual hats the guys are wearing. Those guys come into the clip at about 1:30.

The participants are wearing the Volkstracht (national costume; national representing Franconia in this case) and the significance of the hats is: rigid top hat with many colored bands, a.k.a. love bands or rosemary sticks, representing fertility and loyalty.

A bit more about their costumes in German at the Gochsheimer Plantracht.

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Biarritz and Bayonne

These little tents are quite useful on a hot day at the beach (euro 9,70 for the day rental).

At the beach in Biarritz

There are many good restaurants in Biarritz, among them the Restaurant Des Terrasses, where they serve mussels for appetizer.

Another view overlooking the ocean just before sunset.

Just about 15 km northeast of Biarritz lies the city of Bayonne, which is also the cultural capital of the northern Pays Basque. We spent a couple of hours walking around the historic center, lined with shops, restaurants, bars, and a Subway Restaurant (our children were ecstatic at this point!)

Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, a.k.a. Notre-Dame-de-Bayonne

Half-timbered houses, traditionally with red or green shutters in the Basque style, face each other separated only by a narrow alley.

Bayonne Basque style houses

There are still many other towns to explore around here.

Check out DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Dordogne, Bordeaux & the Southwest Coast from Amazon.de, or DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Dordogne, Bordeaux & the Southwest Coast from Amazon.com

French Street Advertisements

Another morning stroll through Biarritz showing different ways of advertising, from asking for compassion (cat) to trendy economics (Russian tourists).

This cat got a lot of attention, more than if its owner had been nearby.

Beggar in Biarritz

Bastard Joël is running a kitchen and bathroom business of some sort.

Bastard Joël

I had been surprised to hear quite a bit of Russian spoken at the beach. Now this sign made it official – yes, there are quite a few Russian tourists around here.

Biarritz is rather international with English-speaking tourists. To hear German is rare, but I heard some Spanish earlier today. And much Russian at the beach yesterday.

 

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