Magic Carpet to Mallorca

I have a dear friend who lives in Switzerland; she is one of my precious collection of vivacious elders! She told me a very inspirational personal story. I was amazed! It was too good not to share so here it is in her words. Thanks to Christina Hurst-Prager for this contribution.

It was a Tuesday morning when there is the market on the beautiful Bürkliplatz  square in Zürich. After shopping for organic veggies and fruit and some delicacies, I dropped by to visit my friend Urs for a chat and coffee. As we chatted I asked when he planned to fly to Mallorca next. His answer: “This coming weekend and in about two or three years I will live there permanently.” 

“I shall be coming, too,” was my spontaneous reaction. This surprised me quite a bit as I have never been on that island, mainly because of a huge pile of prejudices about it and the quality of its tourism. 

For a number of years I had logged in my brain a tiny home in Italy, or using a stable as a frame for a tiny house and settling in Lumbrein, a village in the Alps which I love. I’d also been thinking of finding a home in one of the valleys in the Italian region of southern Switzerland. I even had planned to drive to Ameno, a village in Northern Italy, located close to a lake, that attracts artists, similar to Alarò. The friend who had planned to drive with me, pulled out at the last minute, preferring a week on a Greek island instead. I didn’t pursue since I didn’t want to drive for 4 -5 hours alone.

Taking myself by my word I thought I needed to go to Mallorca least a couple of days to get a feel of it. Checking my calendar  I looked at possible flights. There are quite a number of them every day! My daughter Clarissa was visiting for a day and on the phone with her very dear friend Lena….she called to me: “Hey, Lena says hello and she will be in Mallorca, too, during these days.” I booked a room in the same hotel in Palma as she had already booked. The first afternoon we took a stroll in town, followed by the first concert of the Music festival, which for mainly professional reasons Lena was attending. Lena made arrangements for me to meet a musician who has been living with his family on Mallorca for a year. He told me about the large village where he lives, Alarò. It absolutely fits my ‘basic requirements‘ for the location of my new home:

• a bit in the mountains

•      small town or village

•      possibility for nice walks in the surroundings

•      daily shopping in walking distance

•      Cafés and restaurants in walking distance.

He also gave me the name of a real estate agent in Alarò

*****

The next day I set out by public bus to the North-east to Pollença (where in true Swiss fashion I climbed the 356 steps to the church on the mountain) and its port. Beautiful country side, friendly smiling and helpful people.  I was content, very content. On the way from the station to the city bus station I passed a bookshop where I bought a large map of Mallorca.

In the evening I strolled from the hotel to the port also looking for a place for dinner. In a pleasant Lebanese restaurant I started to talk to the German lady who worked there. It turned out that her husband is Lebanese, owns the place and does the cooking, she is responsible for the ‘front of the house‘.  “People here are so friendly and content.” I said to her. “ This is because the sun is shining just about every day. Come and live here, too.” She replied. “That is actually what I am planning to do.”  I answered.

Lena and I had some breakfast together and I was on my way to the airport for the two hour flight back to Zürich.

Next morning I emailed the real estate agent, as it turned out she is the founder and owner of the company. I had browsed their website, looking at properties on offer. She was connecting me with one of her agents in Alarò. He called; we had a very long conversation about what I was looking for, what was available and what kind of property was suitable for fulfilling my ‘basics‘. I had asked about renting…not really done much unless it is a flat, which I didn’t want. And anyway I didn’t want to leave a 'back door‘ open; I planned to immigrate for real!

*****

Mercury was in retrograde, which signifies a period for reflection, review, and potential glitches in communication, technology, and travel. I took advice from the planets suggesting introspection rather than major new ventures. So, I waited to book a flight for the first day of Mercury going forward again, a Sunday. Clarissa had taken my dog, Jim-Pablo, with her to the mountains. I was free to travel unencumbered and spend a couple of days in Alarò, looking for my new home.

In the meantime Alex (my architect son) told me that his colleague from Columbia - “you have met her on graduation day” - was living on Mallorca permanently. He gave me her phone number - and also spoke to her about my plans. Ursula graciously offered to accompany me when visiting the proposed properties. She was - and keeps being - an invaluable support with her knowledge of architecture and experiences on Mallorca.

We met the agent’s and set off, all on foot. First to my very favourite on the list…it was close to the edge of the village with much greenery around it and a small pool in the backyard. As it turned out, the interior of the houses was anything but cosy living and the  tiny pool could only be accessed by climbing steep stairs, rickety ones at that and over a rock. Not quite my favourite anymore….

Steve, the real estate agent, guided us to look at more houses, a couple were too big, another one (with an adorable small green patch in the back) needed major renovations. I want to be able to move in without any renovations, other than maybe painting the walls. Another one, beautifully renovated with lovely material and soft beige colourings like the surrounding rocks,  had a very modern view of the bathtub and washbasins being right in the bedroom. Not quite my cup of tea. On and on we went, with a small break around noon for some coffee and a small bite to eat, leaving two properties for the afternoon. 

The very last one, built a bit more than 20 years ago, and refurbished about 4 years ago. It was by no means a tiny house, yet lovely. Well, let’s go in….   The first step into the house, I felt at home!

And so it came that I decided to put in an offer for the Not-Tiny House in Alarò. The selling/buying contract between myself and the owner of my new home went back and forth a couple of times, again Ursula being an invaluable help. To my great pleasure the offer was accepted and the administrative journey began. It all sounded very cumbersome, because I also need a N.I.E number (Número de Identidad de Extranjer). I needed to be identified by a public notary in, of all places, NYC. Everything is done online, amazing.

The realtor explained the seller would like to leave much of his furniture in the house, which I understand so well, having moved several times!! …I want only a few items… We also negotiated all the things he does leave are included in the price of the house, which is just so lovely!  Well, the contract is mutually signed, my deposit has left my bank account and I have already had the visit of the agents of three moving companies.

About the money needed: the new owners of the one flat I have sold, want to exchange beginning of January, when I will receive enough money to buy the house….and the investment in the small company of Alex, Trevor, Clarissa and me has been partially paid back, leaving more than enough for the substantial amount the move will cost.

About the time of the move: As I am now learning astrology I asked my mentor during a lesson if she would be able to tell from my chart, with transits and all, if it is a good idea to move. Her eyes grew really big and with a huge smile she said: it’s perfect because of xyz and the best time would be mid March. After we had signed the contract, the seller asked for the handover to be mid February and I thought, well, a bit earlier would certainly be ok. Two days later, the real estate agent sent me a message that the seller would prefer the handover to be in mid March…what can I say?!?!? It also gives me a bit more time to arrange all the big and little things that need to be attended to before my emigration. Win/win/win.

It is so wonderful, whenever I needed someone or something, it was haded to me on a silver platter, often before I even knew that I would be needing it.

And now: sorting, clearing, discerning….what do I need, what do I want and what has ended its usefulness for me. 2025 is a 9-year (according to numerology), a year of ending, bringing things to conclusion to be free to start anew to reach another shore. 2026 is a 1-year (adding all the digits and converting to a single number. 2+0+2+6 = 10; 1+0 = 1) New Beginnings.

I am happily envisioning celebrating my 84th birthday in my new home in Mallorca in 2026.

Editor’s note (from Wikipedia): Mallorca, also spelled Majorca in English, is the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands, and the seventh largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.