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Norway via Mallorca
To Norway via Mallorca? Yes, and why not?On a snowy day in March, I ventured from Chicago to Barcelona, Spain. I didn't know a word of Spanish, so I had picked up a book by Berlitz that kind-of promised that I could be fluent in Spanish by the time I arrived in Barcelona. :-) I had my work cut out for me. In Barcelona, I jumped onto another plane and aimed for Mallorca, the sunny, beautiful island east of mainland Spain.
Map of Spain
Mallorca Saludar!I stayed at Hotel Playa Golf at El Arenal, about They offered several meal plans - I chose one that had two meals of choice. I also visited restaurants around the island to sample a variety of local cuisines. Paella is one of my weaknesses, and I found it and many other Spanish delicacies at various spots around the island. I noticed that every restaurant prepare paella with their own unique touch, which I enjoyed. Check out my favorite recipe for Paella at the bottom of this page. El Arenal's white, sandy beach outside the hotel, the sunshine, swimming in the salty Mediterranean Sea, sipping sangria under the palm trees, and listening to flamenco music. What more could a Norwegian Viking girl possibly want?
It was worth it for this Viking to travel to Norway via Mallorca. Dipping in the pools (indoor/outdoor) was invigorating. Relaxing in the hot tub after a hard workout in the gym was a wonderful reward for being good. A group of lively Norwegians almost bumped into me on the beach. Americans go to Florida in the winter, and the Scandinavians go south to Spain, which is one of their favorite vacation spots. So I ended up with a bunch of fun Vikings to hang out with. More about travel to Norway via Mallorca. The bus ride to downtown Palma de Mallorca was really hilarious. We were jammed together, like sardines in a can, stand-up room only - but who cared - it was only for five kilometers. On the sidewalks, young musicians were strumming on their guitars and passionately singing romantic Spanish ballads. Palma de Mallorca can boast of new, beautiful hotels, old buildings, and interesting small shops - a great mixture of old and new. I walked up and down the cobbled streets, taking in the unique Spanish architecture and the wonderful atmosphere of romantic Spain. It couldn't stop me from doing people-watching, catching bits and pieces of various languages as people passed by. Think I had a good time going to Norway via Mallorca? YUP! In front of a Mercado de Flores (flower market), a senorita danced the Flamenco, clicking her heels and castanets while a hombre with a mustache and an enormous sombrero, soulfully sang and played his guitar. While walking along the narrow streets, passing little sidewalk cafes enticing with their unique specialties, the delicious aroma of freshly baked pastries and coffee lattes lingered in the air. Shopping? Being an avid bargain shopper, I visited unique boutiques along the way and snagged beautiful leather boots, a suede skirt, and an awesome leather bag. My favorite purchase was a pair of gorgeous Mallorcan pearl earrings. My favorite cousin, Kari, has a fantastic website on pearls. Jump over to To Norway via Mallorca - read on... Every night, at the hotel, people were dancing to Espanola musica Caliente. Many clubs around the island offered great music and a warm atmosphere. Various sightseeing tours were available, one was a tour to Morocco, North Africa. Very eventful - maybe I will tell you about that another time. Flying to Norway via Mallorca? - - Try it, you'll like it! All Rights Reserved
For the seafood lovers in your life. Ingredients: 8 chicken wings(split wings)or use 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into slices 1 lb pork ribs or 1 pork loin (cut ribs or loin into strips) 1 lb Chorizo (Spanish/Mexican sausage), optional ½ lb shrimp in the shell ½ lb scallops 6 oz squid and/or octopus 1 lb mussel and clams 6–10 pieces crab legs 1 lobster cut into pieces (optional) Pinch of salt - easy on the salt ½ can diced tomatoes 3-4 cloves garlic (chopped) 1/4 cup sliced green onion ¼ cup Vidalia or any sweet onion ¼ cup sliced red peppers ½ cup frozen green peas 1-cup fresh or frozen green beans 2 cups paella rice or use Arborio rice 1 teaspoon saffron 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 4-5 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1-2 Knorr’s fish bouillons or use Tiparos fish sauce to add to the chicken broth to enhance the seafood flavor ½ cup extra virgin olive oil lemon wedges, strips of red and green peppers for garnish. Preparation:
1. Add extra virgin olive oil to the frying pan and heat.
DO NOT STIR – TURN HEAT TO LOW and cover the pan. Garnish with shrimp, crab, lobster, and strips of red pepper. Keep the lid on the pan. The paella is ready to serve when the rice is done. Garnish with lemon wedges, red and green pepper strips, and serve. Serving Suggestion:
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Here is another recipe I picked up on my travel to Norway via Mallorca... A fruity, nutritious, summer or anytime drink. 1 bottle of white wine 1/3 cup sugar - add more sugar to taste if you use the juice from fresh lemons. ¾ cup peach-flavored brandy or schnapps 6 tbsp thawed lemonade concentrate or juice from 6 lemons 12 oz sliced peaches (canned peaches may be used) 1 cup sliced green grapes (seedless) 1 cup sliced red grapes (seedless) Mix wine, sugar, brandy or schnapps, and lemonade or lemon juice. You can also add 5-6 lime wedges for more color and flavor. Add ice cubes and stir before serving to dissolve sugar. Using a large glass mug to serve the sangria is nice because it is appetizing to see the fruit through the glass. All Rights Reserved
Serves 4 Ingredients: 10–ounce bag baby spinach leaves 1 cup canned mandarin orange sections or 4 tangerines, peeled and sectioned 1 small onion 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced ½ cup walnuts Dressing:
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Ingredients: 6 ounces softened butter, not melted 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chives, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste Preparation: The leftovers can be frozen for later use. Finally, the end of my story "To Norway via Mallorca". All Rights Reserved
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