Cavernícola (cave people)

Mallorca 034
Originally uploaded by MacYam

I like this picture for its supernatural qualities. While on Mallorca we went out for the day with the entire Italian contingent, under the guidance of our new friend Susan, in search of a secret beach. Along the way we took a break deep in the center of the earth. We had to scramble through a small opening in the earth´s surface in order to access the cave which was completly dark at first until you penetrated deep enough to get into the main body of the cave. Once there the cave was lit by a hole in the surface into which Mallorcan shepherds had thrown the carcasses of their dead sheep, evidenced by the bones on the cave floor. At least I think they were sheep.

In this picture you can see Curtis, Julio and Amanda, gesturing wildly as she explains something. The supernatural aura above Curtis´s head is the light entering the cave and illuminating the smoke from Julio´s cigarette. This cave was apparently a source of fresh water to the early inhabitants of the island and my guess is that this entire chamber was full of water at one time but has now been dramatically depleted by modern wells and irrigation. Whatever the early people used it for it was a comfortable and cool place for us to take a break.

Susan, our guide, is American by birth but only spent about one month in the U.S. before her parents moved to the neighboring island of Ibiza. She told us that they were the first American´s there, the beginning of a swarming mass of artists and hippy drop-outs who came to the Baelaric Islands when the island real estate was up for grabs. She´s lived there ever since. With a keen interest in the archeology of the island, she took us to visit several ancient sites, stone circles and Taliotic structures, around the island. She also led us to some of the most amazing swimming of our lives.