My SXR208: Damp

10.08am. Good morning from a damp Santa Ponça. It's mild, overcast and raining. I had a shower (note to self - the shower is a powerful force to be reckoned with, and doesn't need to be fully on), got dressed, and took a walk around the surrounding streets. This would seem to be a fairly English tourist area, with some German influences. I'm embarrassed to report that the closest bar, not 100 yards away from the hotel, is called The Rovers Return. I've also found English cafes, with arguing English couples already installed, having a fry-up.

The pub that dare not speak its name

When I left the hotel, it looks like we'd had a sandstorm overnight. All the cars are covered with a thin layer of sand, which has then been rained on, but then I remembered how close to the beach we are.

I took a walk down to the beach, which was deserted, save for a Spanish couple, late middle-age to put it politely, walking their tiny black rat of a dog. They paid me no attention whatsoever, I daresay that they just thought I another loco inglés walking in the rain without a coat on.

Had a look at some shops, mostly cafes. Ignored all the ones written in English, and I think I may have found a little place to have a bite to eat later on. The menu was entirely in Spanish, so I think that may be the place.

Lots of newsagents, and those little shops that seem to extend back from the front for miles, selling everything from sunglasses, flip flops, cheap necklaces to beach balls, paperbacks and The Sun.

Couldn't find the bus stop for Port d'Andratx, so I may have to look up directions on the internet. Thankfully the mobile signal from my room is very good, apparently a lot of my group have no mobile or wifi signal in their rooms at all, and have to use the lobby. It seems I've been lucky again.

When I got back to the hotel, a woman coming out spoke to me in German, asking me if the weather would get better later on today. I replied "Hoffentlich," (hopefully). Less than half a second later, one of the hotel staff who had also stepped outside spoke to me in Spanish, and I found I was able to switch languages okay. I hope I develop a flair for obsevational astronomy as snappy as this.

I may change my mind about this later but at the moment I rather pity our tutors. From what I overheard last night, they will have been at the OAM until 3am, setting up the project work for tonight. The BBC seems to think that we may have some cloud cover tonight.