The butterflies in question I believe were painted ladies, and despite the vast number I don’t think there was a single splatter mark on the windscreen. Clearly they deserve to be complimented on their ability to fly around or over car windscreens rather than hurling themselves in to it as their nocturnal, and clearly somewhat dimmer cousins, the moths seem to do.

The photo was taken on the outskirts of Cala Ratjada, not far from Cala Agulla beach.

The Monastery of Miramar is situated just over 3 miles (5 km) from Valldemossa heading towards Deia.  The monastery was established in 1276 by Mallorquin mystic, philosopher and religious thinker Ramon LLul, and it was subsequently purchased in 1872 by Archduke Louis Salvador of Austria.  The remains of the monastery cloisters, the gardens, the house and above all the spectacular views of the rugged Tramuntana coastline make this very much worth a visit.

It’s not one that appears in most top ten lists of where to visit, and as a result tends not to be as busy as some of the better known attractions.  Indeed when I visited in early May I virtually had the place to myself – one of those moments where you could actually hear the silence.

Photos:  top – monastery cloisters with church in the background; middle – view north east towards Sa Foradada (with Son Marroig in the distance); bottom – ruins of the watchtower.

Although with the introduction of GPS lighthouses are now becoming increasingly redundant, in the past they were undoubtedly a vital piece of infrastructure that helped to save countless lives. Despite this reliance on technology, thankfully I’ve yet to hear of a ship becoming stuck under a bridge or jammed in a narrow lane. Unlike some cars or trucks whose drivers just blindly follow the mesmeric instructions emanating from their Sat Nav regardless of the evidence of their own eyes. Then again we’ve been sailing a lot longer that we’ve been driving, so perhaps self reliance and common sense has just become second nature to the sailing world.

Virginia Lopez

In addition to painting he had keen interest in sculpture, stage design and theatre.  The museum was his former home once he moved to Palma from Valldemossa and contains around 100 examples of his work.

Although perhaps not well known to the wider public, nevertheless this was an artist who achieved a measure of acclaim during his lifetime and was invited to paint the Danish royal family as well as the future King Juan Carlos of Spain. In many ways he was as artist ‘out of time’. On viewing his work you feel it has come from the 17th or 18th centuries. Yet he was an artist of the second half of the 20th century. While others were stuffing sheep and leaving their beds unmade (you know who you are!) he preferred to produce his own stylized versions of more classical art forms, and there are many who view him as a worthy heir to artists such as Velazquez.

Right is his portrait of Virginia Lopez, painted in 1992.

Below is the striking courtyard and entrance that draws your attention to the existence of the museum.

Museum Courtyard