We woke to an overcast sky, with some rain forecast for later in the day.

It was great to be able to have breakfast in our apartment on our own timeline this morning.

It is always interesting to discover unique items in apartments rented online. We have had cooktops we could not get to work (almost happened again here), coffee machines that don’t work properly, no kettle – because everyone assumes a coffee machine is all you will need (who drinks tea anyway?), hot water systems from the 1950s and so on. But here – it was the toaster.

Anyway, the toaster worked, and because so many English people visit Palma, there was a kettle and tea bags. Perfect.

We headed out, despite the sky getting darker, and were lucky to find an inside table at a café nearby where we had excellent coffees. Very few shops were open today, but there were still quite a few people on the streets.

But not long after we sat down in the café, the sky opened and it started to pour – it was serious rain.

After about ten minutes, the inside part was crammed packed, people sharing tables, and prams with small babies blocking any available space, when it was decided to close the door in front of us.

After about 45 minutes the rain eased and we left the café for others and headed off to explore the area. We were booked on a full-day tour of the island tomorrow, which included the option for snorkelling (which we had no intention of doing), but that was cancelled by the very disappointed tour host because his bus had broken down, but for us, we were pleased as the weather looks similar for tomorrow. It means we will have the chance to do some more exploring in between showers. And, if we are desperate, we could always buy an umbrella from the North African street sellers who had very cleverly made that their prime item for sale this morning.

We checked the weather warnings when we got home and discovered that there was a ‘yellow alert’ for rain and thunderstorms due to lingering effects of Cyclone Alice. Now, that explained why it is going to rain for the next few days.

“The storm caused a dozen flooding incidents across Palma, especially in underground parking areas where drainage systems were overwhelmed. Emergency crews were dispatched to neighborhoods like Son Dameto, Son Gotleu, and the city center to pump out water.”

This bronze is of King Jaume I (James I of Aragon), famously known as “The Conqueror.”

James I of Aragon (from the Kingdom of Aragon in north-eastern Spain) led the conquest of Mallorca – defeating the Muslim rule and transforming Palma into a Christian city. The defeat of the city took a few months in late 1229, but it then took until 1231 before the last Muslim resistance was overpowered.

The sun came out after lunch, and so did the crowds. So we decided to head towards the water and the main cathedral. And, we think we may have spotted Keith Richards enjoying a glass of wine.

We are only a few steps away from the Plaza Mayor – a large square plaza surrounded by traditional Spanish buildings and shops, and lots of cafés and restaurants. Now the sun was out, so were the illegal marketers with their wares neatly laid out on the cement. We passed a police car on the way and were not surprised to see the sellers unfolding quickly-folded tarps and re-displaying their goods.

Palma has some beautiful buildings and a great ‘vibe’. Maybe a weird comment, but we see lots of families and groups enjoying themselves and there is so much to see. Plus, the place is not so overcrowded (at the moment).

A few more steps away from the City Hall in a different direction was the oldest olive tree we had ever seen. I later learnt that it is estimated to be over 600 years old. It was transplanted to here from a farm in northern Mallorca as a symbol of peace.

We continued on and made it close to our destination.

La Almudaina (or Royal Palace) was once a fortress, as we guessed by those walls and towers. King James II converted the once Muslim Alcázar into a royal residence. There was quite a line up to go inside to look at the blend of Moorish and medieval architecture. The Spanish royal family still uses this palace from time to time.

It was too hard to get a full size photo of this Catholic Cathedral because it is so large. And just like the Basilica near our apartment, building commenced on this site (a former mosque) in 1229. It took over 300 years to finish, but it does have prime position – opposite the Royal Palace and overlooking the sea.

This is the view you get down a few stairs from the cathedral.

I know I have included lots of photos in this post – which just shows there is so much to see.

Just look at this beautifully decorated building outside the Plaza Mayor – the signs advertise its current use of part of the building as a dental surgery.

And finally, Palma has little gems scattered on its walls. You just need to look.