Santo Tomas drama

Santo Tomas is next on up from Son Bou. Down past Es Migjorn Gran and the  horses standing on walls. Now just where are the Caves  de Colomb? Beats most people despite the signs leading to...nowhere. Left hand car park usually a field and a crustie camp. 1 foot drop from ramp to ground, don't think bits of cardboard box will save your sump. Right handcar park often rammo, take your chance or circle fort an hour?

Nice beach, rocks for crabs and a free foot nibbling fish experience but round the rocks too many wrinkly old or young apppendages flapping free.Don't bend over for gawd's sake.

The view from Es Bruc. Not the cheapest beach bar in the world but often a good last day beach experience. Usually have a late start before hitting the sands.

May not look much but this was probably the best food of the trip(even better than Daveed's).

The drama?, well watch it unfold... whats that plane doing?

ah, we see some smoke

looks like a flying boat

and it's 'landing'?

rather close

another pass

up and over..

Two planes involved in fighting a pretty serious forest fire, though not as bad in Majorca which is just on the horizon somewhere under that bank of cloud.

Home boy

The bread based snack has been mentioned already. This does run to the odd evening barbie as well.

 probably the only picture of Titular Head all holiday

This year the daytime bread based snack was occasionally livened up by a coordinated attack on Commander-in-Chief by these vicious beasts, sometimes three-up. They were quite large

Square, square, boys, square

Biggest Bureboy was hankering for a return trip to Bar Paupa all week. It's on the diving quay, down from Redorka Recepcion  just before you head off on to the rocky path to the beach and Los Buccaneros.

Last trip saw Titular head reportedly falling asleep on the steps back to 169, after one Caipirinha.  Our first foray after much cajoling was aborted as no one was there. Our second trip, on new moon night saw the quay awash with many revellers and a sullen sulk home. Thinking on his feet this time Titular Head  made the fateful call up the path to a seemingly empty, despondent terrace..

" Square, square, boys, square"

The square in question is twixt Grumpy's shop, Na Rosa ( a cheese and sherry joint), and Pedro's. Oh, and an amazing bakery-cum-coffee shop (where Commander in Chief buys floury things for breakfast) that also does cocktails at night.

Will on the Pomada. Fanta Limon and Menorcan gin. Cheese and sherry joint in background.

@Walshamboy larging it.

A very nice Mohito..not much different from a Caipirinha but very nice, minty and sweet.

Wordsmith (@Bain3z taking a spell as lensman (Check him at http://crackmagazine.net/music/bilbao-bbk-live/).

Strawberry Daiquiri? Don't.

Two rounds, 24 Euro and seemingly no interest in collecting same, and even surprise when honest injun went to cough up, unlike the scrotes at Arenal de Castell who thought they could make a staggered departure to avoid la cuenta. Gotcha.

Turtle beach

Tortoise beach actually. Es Canutells, not Ses Tanques, on the road from Pepperpot Town to San Climente, once home of the Jazz Club and nearby Cricket Club. Apparently .Why tortoise beach? Up in that scrub are wild tortoises. Sometimes on the road as well.

Just why would you stay in your hotel complex when you have this down the hill? It's not even the lung busting , varicose vein popping hill down (or back up)  to Cala n Porter beach.

It's a long cove and a fishing/boating harbour with a walkway.

Where you can fish and crab

or pose meaningfully on a rock..

Food. Not beach bar prices but nice, honest Menorcan food, you can chose the fish you want cooked or have this very tasty calves liver.

Not just tortoise in the bushes and scrub.

Go. It really is a lovely place.

Carmen burana

Cue Orf's swelling majestical Carmina burina, pub door opens, surfer sweeps in on a wave. "Phew, pint of aftershave  please mate." Barman wipes glass with towel, "Straight glass or a mug sir?" If you are too young to remember it must be on You Tube somewhere.

Well. That's not quite the experience you'll get at Carmen's in Cala Torret. It is the establishment that's stood the test of time and the headman still  survives. It looks like just him and a mustachioed old 'un  in front of house, behind bar and waiting on table now. The wonder of Google  reveals his name. Manelo. And it's for sale?

Memories. Carmen's was the possible when D&P's shut one night a week. It was the place you went to break a paper Pesata note into coin for the Chuppa dispenser he had on his entrance to the bar (he knew you'd been to D&P's). Watching him beseech the gods for trade when he was empty and everyone trooped past to El Faro's. Grilled whole Conejeo, skinned and with eyes still in the skull. @bain3z being served an Voll Damm doble malta on  a solo foray. Yes Grandpa, we did replace them all this time round! 7.2% abv. Smooth. Nice. Jazz.

This year his menu del dia included a bottle of wine (not a copa), Alioli on bread  in your 16Euro. So we went. Twice. The alioli was good. But on bread. Dry bread. Not toasted or anything. At least it was not Bimbo . And we were next to El Faro, always the alioli king. Ask Uncle Jack about Andreas' start up days at the poolside concession  up the road. Is the parrot still the same old "correacos"?

Anyway, back to Carmen's. Nice plates, and v. tasty sardinas

Another nice plate. Very good entrecote

Tom got rinsed for not finishing his mains. No ice cream for you! No complaints either visit.