Travel | The Daily Norm

Apr 22

Reflections on Ibiza in bloom

My January weekend on the infamous island of Ibiza feels like an age ago, and while my recent return to the island to open a new restaurant for work was only around 8 weeks after my first visit, the island was transformed. True, it was not the boom-beat party-rammed hedonistic madhouse into which the island metamorphoses in the height of the summer (thank god!), but with the onset of the Spring, it was an island transformed. In the streets on the foothills of the Dalt Vila (old town) where I was based, restaurants had reopened after a long winter break, squares were once again filled with life, and an atmosphere of allegria seemed to waft through the air.

Now being as project managing the opening of a restaurant is a fairly hefty role, it will not surprise you to know that I did not have all that much time to enjoy what are otherwise the beautiful surroundings of the island around me. However, when the odd opportunity afforded it, I took out my camera to snap Ibiza, and this post is the culmination of those odd moments – my reflections on an Island in bloom, whether it be the yacht filled marinas, or the squares newly dappled with sunlight through fresh spring leaves.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 16

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A weekend in Fornalutx (Part 3): The Embalse de Cúber

If there is one thing that living these past 5 months on the stunning Mediterranean island of Mallorca has taught me, it is that mother nature is truly the best creator of beauty. With pristine white beaches flanked by momentous mountains, sweeping orange and lemon groves and vast surreal rock forms of every shape and size, Mallorca is truly nature at her best. However, as the final experience of my recent weekend in the mountain village of Fornalutx demonstrated, man too can do his level best at creating beauty within the confines already set by nature, and this has been no better evidenced than through the creation of the Embalse de Cúber located on the other side of Mallorca’s highest mountain. The embalse, or reservoir, looks to anyone passing by like a perfectly appointed mountain lake. Set within the shallow basin formed when some of the island’s most magnificent mountains come together, this lake fits perfectly into these momentous surroundings. And yet this reservoir, constructed to supply water to the bustling capital city of Palma de Mallorca, was made by man. And what a job he did. Gasps escaped our mouths when we first saw the sight of this stunning lake. Expansive, perfectly still and forming a wonderful reflection of the mountains surrounding it, the lake is a visual delight in this most incredible of landscapes. With paths lining the full length of the lake, we were able to appreciate the lake from up close, and there appreciate a multifaceted landscape which changed from one stretch of the lake to another. In one section, small prickly donught shaped plants interspersed with large craggy rocks looked like a landscape from out of space. A little further along, pine trees stood so perfectly erect and symmetrical that they appeared to be almost plastic in their lego-land perfection. And round on the other side of the lake, imposing cliffs of huge rocky forms rounded off a series of landscapes which thrilled along every inch of this incredible waterside walk. And just in case we became bored of the landscape, nature’s habitats were there to thrill us as well, including many number of colourful little birds, a snake, and even a big hairy bull… Now that was one encounter we were not expecting as we rounded off an incredible weekend in the mountain scenery of Fornalutx. All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 14

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A weekend in Fornalutx (Part 2): Cemetery and Citrus Trees

The area of Soller is famous for its citrus groves. It must be something to do with the lush fertile slopes of the vast mountain scenery which allows this area to become punctuated by lemons and oranges, and the result is not only a vast bounty of citrus based products made in the region every year, but a landscape which is made stunning by the perfume of orange and lemon blossom and by a palette of yellow and orange fruit. The little nearby village of Fornalutx is no exception in the citrus stakes, and if there was one aspect of the little mountainous haven that I adored above all others, it was the orange trees which were so bounteous in the surrounding landscapes, and whose blossom filled the air with its exquisite spring perfume.

The stunning citrus scenery surrounding Fornalutx

It was on a walk amongst the orange groves on the afternoon of our arrival in Fornalutx that my partner and I discovered what has to be my second favourite aspect of the town: a tiny cemetery set atop an outermost hill of the city, overlooking its sea of terracotta roofs and surrounding mountainous landscape. Of all the places that could be a person’s final resting place, this must surely be one of the best. Perfectly appointed, beautifully symmetrical with a central chapel flanked by two robust cyprus trees, and with decorative gravestones surrounded by palms and colourful flowers, this place of rest made for a super-tranquil utterly beautiful place of contemplation even for us living.

The tiny cemetery of Fornalutx

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Apr 13

A weekend in Fornalutx (Part 1): Cobbled streets and Mountainous marvels

Driving around the island of Mallorca is like entering a sweet shop at Christmas time. The island offers such an intense panoply of dazzling spectacles that you almost don’t know where to begin with taking it all in. But as my intense enjoyment of the island continues, so too do my attempts to capture it on this blog, and after a weekend based in the faultlessly beautiful mountain town of Fornalutx in the middle of the Tramuntana mountauns, I have plenty to share.

Fornalutx is a tiny paradise set amidst the very stunning best of the Tramuntana mountain range. Only around 20 minutes from the popular town and port of Soller, it is nonetheless far less frequented by the tourist masses giving the town an altogether more authentic air. Unspoilt therefore by the ravages which tourism so often bring, and lacking the spoil of souvenir shops and mass-production coach-party restaurants, Fornalutx is like a throwback to another time – a simple little village whose every twist and turn is made beautiful thanks to the most stunning mountainous backdrop you can imagine. And that backdrop is certainly not to be ignored – with the Puig Major, Mallorca’s highest mountain, amongst those vast forms casting their wide shadow over the town, this is scenery at its most dramatic.

The dramatic scenery of Fornalutx

In this first photographic post, I concentrate on the little town itself: a town built in local stone which slots perfectly into a wide fertile mountain valley full of the most fragrant of citrus trees. The town is like a city in miniature, with a little local shop on a small bustling square, a handful of local cafes frequented by townsfolk and tourists, a tiny cemetery overlooking the stunning local scenery, and a series of twisting sloping streets broken by steep stone staircases and punctuated by colourful pot plants.

The charming streets of Fornalutx

In tomorrow’s post, I’ll be focusing on two aspects of Fornalutx which deserve far more attention – its beautiful local cemetery and the citrus trees which characterise this beautiful town. Until then.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 9

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Discovering Mallorca: The divine delights of Deia’s mountainous heights

I count myself as really quite lucky to have seen some spectacular places in my short life. True, I have rarely ventured beyond Europe, but within its boarders, I have enjoyed incredible sights such as the stunning craggy cliffs of Capri, the wonderfully intact historical citadel of Dubrovnik, the romantic watery paradise of Venice, and the city of light, Paris. But none of the aforementioned or indeed so many of the other places I have been wowed by in life have ever taken my breath away quite as much as the tiny village of Deia on Mallorca’s north western coast.

Set within the craggy heights of the UNESCO protected Tramuntana mountain range, and in the shadow of the island’s second talest mountain, the mighty Teix, Deia is a village which enjoys a unique location, clinging to a rounded hill within a vast mountainous cluster which in itself is only metres from a plunge down to a crystal clear turquoise coastline. Famous for being the village to host many an artist, famous celebrity (Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Richard Branson amongst them) and world-renowned writers (Robert Graves being the one to really place Deia on the map), there can be no guessing why this tiny settlement has attracted so many prominent and creative people over the years. Its scenery is other-wordly, as the village nestles amongst mountains so high that clouds collect along their slopes as though hiding the way to a real Mount Olympus – home to the gods. Meanwhile, on those fertile terraced slopes, an abundance of greenery including a vast bounty of citrus trees fills the air with such floral freshness that even breathing becomes a pleasure.

I could go on about Deia forever, and I am certainly keen to apply this magical place to canvas. But for now I shall leave you with a few photos of the village – pictures which, to my mind, fail to do the mystical wonder of this place justice, but which at least give you an idea of just how idyllic an old village in Mallorca can get. I give you Deia: paradise sitting on the slopes of an almost authentic Mount Olympus.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Mar 25

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Mallorca Moments: Late afternoon along the Bay of Pollensa

It has to be one of the most sensational spots on the island of Mallorca if not in the Mediterranean: a perfectly tranquil walk along a seaside path; the almost completely still waters of a natural bay gently caressing the shore, and over its surface, pine trees which lean ever closer as though staring narcissistically into their reflection upon the sea. This is the idyll which is the bay of Pollensa (or Pollença in Mallorquin); a naturally protected beautiful harbour on the Northern coast of Mallorca. It is a bay which benefits from the very best of geography’s creative magic: cerulean blue crystal clear water; a backdrop of mountains making the sea appear more like a lake; and a happily coinciding seaside walk which allows visitors to enjoy the tranquility of the spot directly next to the sensuously shore-lapping sea.

These photos were taken one tranquil afternoon, when the sun broke free of the clouds up ahead as it began its gentle plummet to the horizon and beyond. The still conditions and the golden light were just perfect for photography, and the result is a set of photos befitting the utmost beauty of the place.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Mar 17

Discovering Mallorca: Mountaineering in the Cala Sant Vicenç

The Cala Sant Vicenç (or San Vincente as castilian would have it) on the North Western coast of Mallorca has to be one of the most emblematic of cove beaches on the island. With a mountainous backdrop so jagged and geographically awesome that it looks like sharp razors jutting up from the sea, it is no wonder that this beach has inspired countless artists over the years, amongst them one Sorolla, whose iconic paintings of the coastal spot perfectly captures the cerulean blue sea in front of the purple jagged mountain.

When we recently headed along to the cove with our visiting friend Cassandra, the weather was not quite as ideal as it may have been when Sorolla paused to apply the view to canvas. Nonetheless, even in slightly gloomier conditions, it was surprising how beautifully turquoise the crystal clear waters shone, and how dramatic the mountain scenery looked behind it.

But not content with merely admiring the view from the beach, we decided to go one step further. Ok, it’s perhaps extreme to call this activity mountaineering, but as we scaled the nearby mound of jagged rocks sitting on the opposite side of the cove, in order to see the view from an even more unusual vantage point, it surely felt as though we were climbing mountains. But what views were to be seen from this height. Not only could the mountains of Sant Vicenç be perfectly captured, but all around us was an utterly wild inhospitable expanse of rugged rock forms, grasses and rough vegetation over which only the odd mountain goat appeared to have previously ventured. With its vast rocky terrain coupled with the occasional sea mist, this landscape looked more like I would imagine the Scottish Highlands than Mallorca, but it was every bit as impressive.

Sadly such views were not to be gained without their compensation, and days later, my aching legs still bemoan the day I took them mountaineering at the Cala Sant Vicenç. But surely that’s reason enough to at least enjoy these photos I captured in the process…

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Mar 12

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Discovering Mallorca: Valldemossa and its port

Mallorca has been, and continues to be, the home of many notable persons, and chief amongst them were Fédéric Chopin and his lover, the pioneering French writer George Sands, who, in her account of their 1839 stay described the natural beauty which pervades Mallorca. That is no more so than in the stunning hilltop village where Chopin and Sands made their home, Valldemossa, a picture-perfect rural retreat which is every bit the archetypal Mallorcan village, with its stone-built houses, green wooden window shutters, and small shop-lined cobbled streets.

The hilltop village of Valldemossa

It was to this bucolic idyll that we recently ventured, taking with us our friend visiting from London in order to share with her this most perfect example of a Mallorcan pueblo. Valldemossa is not huge – indeed it comprises of a main shopping street with a few narrow side streets each plied with their fair share of pretty cafes and shops selling local produce. But its best selling point is the grand turquoise-tile-topped Real Cartuja monastery which was itself home to Chopin and Sands. Towering above both the town and the stunning mountain valley which gives the village its name, the monastery is a place of utmost solitude and tranquility, not least on its breathtaking garden terraces, which tickle each of the senses with their bounty of flowers, perfumes and unbeatable vistas, all accompanied by the gently bonging of sheep bells in the distance.

The Real Cartuja monastery and its surroundings

But Valldemossa does not stand alone, and rather benefits from its own little fishing village; an even more idyllic spot which, while appearing to be close to the upper village on the map, is in fact down a perilous zig zag of hair-pin bends which are enough to put the fear of god into the most experienced of drivers, let alone me. But the views which greet the visitor upon their descent are well worth the effort, for the little port of Valldemossa is surely one of the most beautiful I have seen on the island.

The port of Valldemossa

In the port itself, a handful of unostentatious fishermen’s cottages make up a tiny settlement which is situated amongst some of the most stunning mountain scenery imaginable. For surrounding the port are steep rocky mountain cliffs plunging directly into the crystal clear seas, while on the odd beaches formed from falling stones, one can find rocks of hugely varying colours, from the most peachy pink to a deep golden ochre.

A rainbow panoply of rocks

Between these two sites, both the port and village of Valldemossa, there could be no doubting the reasons as to why George Sand had been so inspired to describe the natural beauty of Mallorca, nor the impetus for other visitors, both renowned or otherwise, to make the island their home. But while many of Mallorca’s most beautiful spots have been ravaged by tourism and modernity, both parts of Valldemossa retain a local authentic charm which cannot help but present Mallorca at its very charming best.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Mar 10

Mallorca Moments: Almond island in bloom

While Mallorca may be famous all around the world for its stunning white sandy beaches, rocky coves and cerulean blue seas, at this time of the year, it is even more notable for the abundant almond blossom which turns the island white. For Mallorca is very much the island of the almond: those sweet little nuts are the basis of much of the island’s cuisine from the nutty picada forming the base of many a meat dish, to the fluffy almond sponge which makes a traditional Gato Mallorquin. So with all of those many thousands of almond trees bursting into bloom at roughly the same time, Mallorca in March is an island transformed and even more dazzling than ever.

The demands of work have meant that I have somewhat missed the boat in the almond blossom stakes, with much of the floral magnificence already past its best. But when I set out last weekend on a happy voyage into the mountains, my sighting of a few trees left in blossom set against a beautiful Spring blue sky made me slam on the breaks of my car so that photos could be taken and the delicate beauty of these flowers shared for all to see. With their pretty pink interior and pure white petals, it’s hard to think that these stunning flowers become small brown nuts, but luckily for us in Mallorca, it’s a transition which will happen every year so that this magical tree can be enjoyed in all the various stages of its glory.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Mar 5

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A two-hour trip to Valencia

If there was to be a definitive demonstration of the term jet-set, a 2 hour trip from Mallorca to Valencia and back again would surely be it. And today that is exactly what I did. Flying from our sunny isle, over the deep blue waters of the Mediterranean to one of Spain’s sunniest cities, just for a quick work meeting and then back again. Happily, amongst my work responsibilities, I was able to fit in a few minutes to stroll around the city. For Valencia’s old town’s is surely one of the most stunning in all of Spain and well worth a full weekend’s exploration. Nonetheless, with only 20 minutes to spare before my flight, I made the most of the time available to me, shooting these photos which I now share.

The photos mainly focus on the picture-worthy Plaza de la Reina, and its sister plaza – de la Virgen, both sandwiching the beautifully quasi-baroque Valencia Cathedral between them. While the Plaza de la Reina is very much the bustling centre of the old town, where cafés spill over onto sunny pavements, taxi drivers meet for a chat, and residents wait for the city’s many buses, the Plaza de la Virgen is a grander affair with the Romanesque arches of the cathedral its backdrop and a magnificent fountain with a grandiose Neptune at its centre.

As my photos perhaps suggest, I couldn’t get enough of that stunning fountain which never fails to enchant me, whenever I am lucky enough to visit this marble clad urban space. But also evident from this little selection of photos is the purity and strength of the colours. Just look at those rotund oranges, and that amazing blue sky; that sun dappled yellow wall and those white and blue dazzling fountains of water. They are the colours which made Spain so utterly seductive to me, and the reason why eventually I found myself moving here permanently. Adios for now…

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2015 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.