Menorca and La Mola

We survived another overnighter and arrived in Menorca, Spain yesterday, August 21st.  Our Imray Cruisers Guide is six years old and the company to call for berths is no longer open for business so we used the Kindle 3G service and found a berth at a floating dock for 129 Euro per night.  It was a zoo with boats coming and going but what a beautiful harbor.

Today we got up and went ashore in Mao.  We immediately just found the Grand Staircase and started walking “Up”.  As soon as we got to the top we were in the Shopping District and walked the streets.  We found signs directing you to the Market and followed those.  The market is actually in a huge building with locals selling their wares upstairs and a grand grocery store below.  We stopped at a booth and purchased some of the Famous Menorcan Cheese.  We also bought some Mayonnaise because Menorca is where it was invented.  Because I didn’t need a new pair of shoes, I bought a traditional shoe keychain of the Menorcan “Avarcas” shoe. 

After eating lunch at an Indian Restaurant, we headed to La Mola.  What a huge complex this Fortress of Isabel II.  We have seen many Fortresses in our travels but this one is the gem in the Queens crown.  It was started in 1848 and took 25 years to build.  It was built because France and Great Britain were disputing control of the Mediterranean and the Spaniards wanted to keep control of this very important port.  We were told that as soon as they finished the Fortress, technology had changed so much that it was already outdated.  The biggest attraction here was the 15 inch Vickers gun.

I would highly recommend this visit although I would do it later in the afternoon when it is cooler.