With a camera in Majorca

In Short

This travel account records an expedition across Majorca, Minorca, and Iviza undertaken by the author and her female companion. Equipped with a camera, tripod, and steady resolve, they navigate rough carriage roads, stormy weather, and rudimentary village inns. Their journey takes them through ancient fortified towns, deep stalactite caverns, high coastal cliffs, and megalithic ruins. The text endures because it balances keen architectural and historical observations with a warm, humorous appreciation for local life, capturing the Balearic Islands at a moment just before modern tourism transformed their isolated traditional cultures.

The Story

The journey opens in the historic city of Palma, where modern suburbs merge with medieval battlements and Moorish ruins. The travelers immerse themselves in the rhythm of island life, exploring the shadowed, soaring interior of the grand cathedral, observing unique local breeds like the ancient Ivizan hound, and joining crowds along the central avenues during traditional spring carnival festivities.

Using Palma as a base, the travelers launch four distinct loops across Majorca. The first excursion leads through low hills crowded with eight-sailed windmills into the countryside. They ascend craggy heights to reach medieval strongholds such as Santuíri Castle and venture deep into the subterranean chambers of the Caves of Artá, marveling at massive stalagmitic columns lit by Bengal fires. Subsequent tours take them along steep coastal precipices near San Telmo, through steep terraced villages, and along mountain goat-paths to remote sanctuaries. Sudden cloudbursts force them to take shelter beneath country porches alongside orange carters, local livestock, and fellow travelers, while erratic mountain roads reduce their journeys to damp, scrambling hikes.

After exhausting the paths of Majorca, the duo expands their expedition by sea. In Iviza, they scale fortified upper towns, investigate newly uncovered Phoenician burial grounds honeycombed into granite hillsides, and visit coastal salt works. Moving on to Minorca, they encounter a landscape dominated by endless stone walls and sweeping sea winds. Guided through fields of thistles and past curious livestock, they survey prehistoric talayots and the enigmatic boat-shaped stone structure of the Nau de Tudons.

Their travels conclude amidst the rustic hospitality of small island inns, where unexpected menu combinations and early-morning construction disruptions become part of the adventure. The account draws to a close aboard a night vessel departing the island port, looking back at the receding white walls of the harbor town under a bright moon, leaving behind an island realm defined by quiet history, generous hosts, and enduring stone monuments.

How It Unfolds

The arrival in Palma The travelers set up their base in Palma, contrasting the modern expanding suburbs with the historic walled city. They explore the dimly lit, magnificent Gothic cathedral and observe the unique local animal breeds and lively town traditions.

First tour across the eastern plains Journeying through almond orchards and past white windmills, the pair explores the ruins of Santuíri Castle. They descend into the massive subterranean caverns of the Caves of Artá, describing the towering stalagmites and expansive underground chambers.

Excursions through mountain and coast The travelers traverse rugged roads toward San Telmo and the coastal crags overlooking Dragonéra Island. They battle sudden tropical cloudbursts alongside local carters and negotiate steep, slippery mountain paths on muleback to reach the swollen emerald waters of the Gorch Blau gorge.

Island-hopping to Iviza Crossing by boat to Iviza, the duo climbs to the fortified high town and meets welcoming local officials. They tour extensive, recently excavated Phoenician rock tombs nestled among ancient olive groves on the hillsides.

Exploring the stones of Minorca The expedition moves to Minorca, navigating a labyrinth of thick stone walls and windswept fields. They inspect mysterious prehistoric monuments, including the boat-shaped Nau de Tudons, before ending their journey at a harbor inn in Ciudadéla.

The People

Margaret D’Este The observant, resilient narrator who approaches travel with steady humor and open curiosity. She wants to explore the remote corners of the Balearic Islands, document their historical monuments, and understand local customs. Despite physical discomforts, bad weather, and steep precipices, she remains eager to immerse herself in every new landscape.

Mrs. R. M. King The author’s traveling companion and photographer, who carries heavy camera equipment across challenging terrain. She seeks to capture clear visual records of architectural sites, mountain views, and island residents, often needing to manage camera gear while scrambling over stone walls, climbing breakwaters, or riding donkeys up slippery goat-paths.

Brother Bartholomew A distant, unhelpful lay friar at a mountain monastery where the travelers stay. He provides damp sheets and minimal amenities, consistently ignores requests for additional water, and accidentally locks the travelers in their whitewashed cell early in the morning, serving as a brief, amusing obstacle to their daily routine.

The Ivizan Municipal Official A courteous local host who guides the visitors through the island’s town and countryside. Fascinated by archaeology, he shares his passion for history by taking the travelers to inspect the newly discovered Phoenician necropolis and accompanying them to the coastal salt works.

In Its Own Voice

“From the dim east end, far away, where wreaths of incense rise and the high altar is outlined in brilliant points of light, comes the distant chanting of priests and the response of choir boys...”

The author describes the rich, solemn atmosphere inside Palma’s massive cathedral.

“An old miller leans out of a little upper window in one of the mills, filling it up so completely that we wonder if he will ever get back again.”

A playful detail observed while driving through the windmill-dotted countryside around Felanitx.

“Mysterious and lonely the Nau stands out against the sunset sky; a couple of donkeys graze amongst clumps of spurge and asphodel...”

A vivid reflection on the ancient stone monument of Nau de Tudons in Minorca.

What It's Really About

Beneath the practical itinerary, the book investigates the relationship between an island’s deep history and its everyday life. It explores how centuries of isolation preserve ancient traditions, distinct animal breeds, and architectural relics that linger side by side with modern developments. The text highlights the contrast between external romantic stereotypes of Mediterranean life and the genuine, unpretentious hospitality of the inhabitants. Through its careful attention to local landscapes, prehistoric monuments, and casual roadside encounters, the account argues that true travel requires patience, flexibility, and a willingness to step off the established tourist track to observe a culture on its own terms.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate classic travel literature, Mediterranean history, and early photography will find this account engaging. It captures the rhythm of early-twentieth-century exploration, offering a lighthearted yet precise perspective on places that have since changed dramatically. The prose moves briskly, grounded in vivid sensory descriptions of storm-swept roads, quiet chapels, and sunlit sea cliffs.

While modern readers should anticipate occasional early-1900s travel assumptions and minor archaic spellings, the author's voice remains strikingly fresh, humorous, and respectful toward the people she encounters. The narrative never bogs down in overly dense academic analysis, choosing instead to focus on immediate experiences, practical travel hurdles, and visually striking scenes. What stays with you is the quiet charm of an era when visiting distant islands meant trusting local guides, braving unpredictable weather in open carts, and viewing ancient landscapes through the lens of a stand-mounted camera.