Since all the restaurants, markets, and stores were closed on the 25th so we drove back to the place we stay, just before closing to buy few things for our simple dinner. At night, we regrouped and planned for the next day: visit La Seu Cathedral and have a good Spanish meal.

With all the driving, hiking and walking of the previous day, we had a good sleep and did not wake up until almost 10am the next day. After quick and simple breakfast, we headed directly to La Seu, the main and biggest cathedral in the island. It's situated on the port, south of the island, facing the Mediterranean sea as if to show off its magnificent structure to the incoming vessels. Surrounding the cathedral are high walls, with openings for canons or weapons to guard off the invaders. The Cathedral was finished building in 1600s, on the same site of the Arab mosque. We parked the car in the port's parking lot, free for Sunday (hooray!), and walked toward the cathedral. There is a huge unusual shape sundial right at the end of the parking lot. Across the port is the La Seu Cathedral, or the proper name is Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma.

Through the smaller door made in the big entrant door, we went inside. The inside opens up and it is beautiful! With massive round stain-glass windows, one at each end of the main hall, the sun lit up the interior. The vaulted ceiling soaring high at least hundred feet. Large golden organ pipes on both sides of the hall. Huge supporting stone columns, each is about 36ft in diameter. I was snapping up pictures and did not notice the attendant was chasing after me, asking me to leave because the church service about to begin. We left the Cathedral, wandered inside the maze of old town, tried to find a coffee shop to try the Churro, but instead we found more little squares, old olive tree, and more small alleys. Headed back to the church, but it was closed and said to be open around 6pm. At that time, we all hungry so we drove to the restaurant, which we had picked out from the internet. The Restaurant is only few miles away, but long line of cars; they must have used the same guide book or read the recommendations from the same website. We split off from the long waiting line and found a parking spot on a small street about couple hundred yards away. By the time we got there, it was around 4pm, and we did not leave until 6pm. The suckling roast pig is very good! We also ordered a bottle of Catalan red wine, which turned out to be quite good.

After dinner, we headed back to the Cathedral to take more pictures of the lighting and the surrounding at night. The light at night makes the whole Cathedral more dominant, massive white structure facing out the ocean.

We left the Cathedral and headed home, and started to feel the pressure, because there are still so many places to see, and we now already on the third day.

After long day of traveling, we all went to bed early, not wasting any time to enjoy the Egyptian 800-thread sheets and the luxurious goose down comforter. BWT, here is the place we stayed, and we can rent it at reduced rate if anyone interested; without the reduced rate, I don't think we could afford to stay there. Sitting up in bed, I surfed the net to plan out for us, places to go for the next day. I came across a website which recommend a "must see" vista place called Cap de Formentor. It's located at the northern tip of the island, and according to the previous tourists, who had been there, the driving part is most treacherous. The joke about the Cap de Formentor taxi driver can get to heaven instead of the priest was mentioned, due to the narrow, winding roads, the taxi driver can get more people to pray than the priest. For backup, I located the Cap de Formentor on the car rental map, just in case the GPS could not find the spot; and planed the route to get there.

The rooster crowing at 4am woke me up, the sun had yet to come out and I did not want to leave the comfort bed, so I coaxed myself back to sleep without much difficulty. Around 6am, again the ... damn roosters! But this time I got out of bed. From our bedroom, I looked out through the double French door to the backyard, which has a small brick-built grill and two white lounge chaises; green golf course in the distance, and all mixed in with a light morning mist. I started making the coffee, and went up to the second floor patio to take few pictures. Life was wonderful. On the Christmas day, we all woke up quite early, around 7am. Had a nice breakfast of Jamón Iberia, eggs, and sausages. The crusty breads are very tasty, like the French baguette but a bit wider. We poured olive oil on a plate, sprinkle with sea salt and bit of pepper, using it to dip breads. I convinced the family to venture to the Cap de Formentor, and ... did not say much about the some people had to turn back or threw-up on the way to that place. Besides, it was the 25th, not many cars on the road, so we could take our time negotiating the hair raising turns and bends.

Driving at 120km/hr, it took only around 40minutes on the highway to get to base of the mountain, we then embarked on the narrow winding road. The drive was indeed treacherous, but the traffic was very light, pretty much empty, so we took it easy, using 1st or 2nd gear for every turn. The light traffic also gave us opportunity to stop at almost every turn out or vista point. We saw mountain rams and goats, the view of the cape town below, and also the magnificent cliffs and ocean waves crashing into the foot of the rocks 400ft below. The winding road took us to the light house on top. The lighthouse is also a cafeteria, but unfortunately it closed on the 25th; so we can only admire the panoramic view. We saw two cats, bathing under the sun, Bảo & Thuỵ really enjoyed petting the cats. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be, for a cold and windy day like that day, if we could sit in the cafeteria sipping coffee or hot chocolate and taking in the magnificent view.

Left the lighthouse, we drove down mountain, and backed into town. We noticed many bicyclists along the way. Our next destination is the Cathedral. We've read about the pickpocket and Gypsy issues in Palma and Barcelona, so we took precaution; having our wallet in the front, inside zipped pocket of the jacket. We also strategically arranged our walks, so that I have Bảo and Thuỵ watching my back and I would watch Hương's back. Oh yeah, we prepared! :) We also played out the scenarios at home, practiced of detecting pick pocket, and for each to find the safe spot to keep our valuables. Besides, both Bảo and Thuỵ had several years practicing Kungfu, so ... we feel pretty confident walking in the old town streets, even empty narrow alleys. It turned out, we did not meet or noticed any Gypsy; well, we saw one in Barcelona, she tried to give us a red carnation flower; but after two times of saying "no, no quiero", she just walked off.

Palma Catheral does not have that scary look, bony spikes, like the famous Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. However, it still has the Gothic style architecture, with arches and bridges to the bell tower; and also gigantic doors. It's so funny that ... since the doors are so huge, not practical to open and shut often, thus smaller doors are made in the big doors for daily use. The Cathedral is so big and tall, so it's easy to use as a reference point when you wandering in the old-town. If you get lost, just look up and find the Cathedral bell tower and navigate yourself out of the old-town maze. The Cathedral was closed, strange! It was the 25th, for ... Pete's sake; so we headed off to the next point of interest, which is the Arab Bath house. Another thing about walking in the old-town of Palma you don't have to worry about getting lost, signs are at most corners, showing directions to the nearby tourist places.

Winding through the Medieval quarter of cobble stone narrow alleys, I was more fascinated by different shapes and sizes of doors. None of them is alike, each is unique. Common point is that they are all very well made, solid wood, stained. Some are carved, and adorned with elaborated irons. I took pictures of them, and thinking of making a photo series about doors around the world. Finally, we arrived at the Arabic Bath house. It was built in the ten century and survive only by chance. It has a nice court yard in the center, surrounded with Mediterranean plants and flora. Seats are available under the shade of trees, must be to relax in the summer heat. The bath house is on the West side of the courtyard. This is a two level steam bath house, main steam room has a dome shape ceiling, it has round openings on top, perhaps to provide lights into the room. In the center is the water pool with surrounding ledges; twelve small columns supporting the dome ceiling. To see such amazing structure and technology in the tenth century is quite a feeling.

On the way back, we made it to the hotel's convenient store, just enough time to pick up few items to make dinner, we then went to bed early. We had a good sleep that night, did not wake up until around 9am on the next day, Sunday.