Menorca - Day 12: Trotting at Sant Lluis

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The sea was still up on the north coast, but we went for lunch at Son Ganxo on the south coast, and enjoyed swimming in the rather calmer water south of the island. I like photographing the boats passing when the seas are so calm... The lighthouse on Illa de l'Aire is visible from Son Ganxo.

After lunch, we went to the trotting at the Hipódromo de Maó at Sant Lluis, via Cala d'Alcaufar (described by our little Menorca guide as an "authentic fishing village", hum). The trotting is always fun, and this time was no exception: there were swallows racing around one end of the track when we arrived, and there was a mounted race (with the winner shown above) as well as the usual races with horses pulling buggies ("sulkies"). I found the race with riders was much more exciting, particularly because the winner took the lead in the final straight (to his obvious excitement). We were standing next to the (extended) family of the rider who came in second, and they were very inclusive, making us feel very much part of the anticipatory anxiety during the race's false starts.
Between races, we ventured back to the stables, to see the horses being washed and to see what else was going on back there (not much).
I also enjoyed taking portraits of the sulky drivers, particularly the one with reflective glasses which acted as fun wide-angle lenses!
A fun evening at the races.

Other pictures from this day can be found on Flickr (right from here).
Menorca album