Palma de Mallorca

An early rise this morning to catch the 6.10am train to the airport and then a short, easy flight to Palma de Mallorca to a friend's surprise retirement party and an overnight stay. She thought it was a postponed school Christmas drinks and tapas night and was gobsmacked when she walked into the bar below the school and saw a few people in the group who she didn't expect to be there, including us! I have worked with Jan on two month-long CELTA courses here in Palma - one in spring 2010 (pre my blipping days) and another in November 2016 - as well as catching up at conferences and her visits over the years to Barcelona. A special night with Andy, the school director (on the left in the extra) giving a short speech, then there were gifts, cards and a compilation of messages and videos from, quite literally, all over the world! Jan (on the right in extra pic) just kept saying, 'Oh my goodness, how did he/she know?’. Little did she know that at the recent IH conference in Barcelona a few of us her were catching people who knew Jan and getting videos and messages there and then, as well as emailing others not there to get them to email them in for the compilation. Sara, one of her friends and colleagues in IH Palma and ex-colleague Amy B, now working in the UK, did an amazing on of bringing it altogether. At the end of the night, BB and I got some 1-1 time with Jan when we went to another place for more tapas.

We're staying in a typical old Mallorquín house, now a very simple 'pension', Fawlty Towers style! It must be lovely in summer, but freezing cold at this time of year! We both worked during the day on our laptops at places with wifi and with nice Mallorquín street views. My main blip is the view from my table where I stopped for a coffee while BB was working and I went for a little wander.