Beatrix pottering: Bank holiday Balearic style

My, the Mallorcans do love a fiesta. I was picking rogue bits of Sa Rueta confetti off Kevin's hat only yesterday, and it's already another celebration, this time a two day bank holiday (no school) in honour of the Balearic Islands' autonomy, granted on 1 March 1983. We had seen stalls being set up in Palma the other day, so put the scooter in the car boot and headed out.

It was astonishing weather, literally 14 degrees warmer than two days before: from shivering in woolly hats and winter coats, to sunglasses and a thin cardigan. We parked by the start of Palma's Paseo Maritímo, and set off along the marina's edge in the sunshine.

The Paseo has a red tarmac-ed two-way track for cyclists, so Jemima (with her wheeled conveyance) installed herself on that and scooted off happily, with us walking on the pedestrian bit alongside (Kevin occasionally jogging to keep up). They'd done this route with Uncle Ady the previous weekend, so led me to a lovely marina-side café with a little play area they'd discovered. We had a drink in the sun with a view of the boats, unable to believe the weather change (and feeling slightly guilty about friends and family in the UK suffering minus two...). Then onwards along the Paseo, until we saw the start of the festivities.

Or rather we saw the people. The festivities were mainly a long avenue of stalls - lots of cheese, quite a few knife stalls, and a sprinkling of artisanal alcohol, among the usual jewellery, clothing, and arts and crafts. And beside them, in a thick ribbon, was a mass of people, meandering and browsing. These kind of situations aren't actually that much fun with a four year old, so it became a bit of a mission to get through. And eventually we did make it past the crowds until we were able to turn more towards the old town and some space.

After a bit more walking we got to the Plaça Major, a large square in the heart of the old town that, to be honest (and unlike the rest of Palma) could do with a spruce up. But we were hungry, and there was a free table in a sunny corner near a busker playing piano (there are a few "entertainers" - it's like a slightly shabby Covent Garden in feel). But the piano was actually pretty good, and the pizzas looked tasty, so we risked it. Pros: lovely to sit in the sun while Jemima scooted around the open car-free square, or watched the entertainers (the pianist was replaced by a juggler/unicycle rider, and then a clown). Cons: it took twenty-five minutes to get a Diet Coke. But the food, when it came, was good; and it's hard to complain of too much when you're sitting in a T-shirt outside on 1st March.

Then with the sky finally clouding over, we started the long walk/scoot back to the car. Jemima enjoying scooting has been a huge bonus for this trip - she spends so much time outside doing exercise, and loves every minute; and it means we can walk long distances without complaints - we did 7.5 miles that day and she was still running around with her (longed-for and eventually purchased) Minion balloon at the end.

The scooter was our secret weapon in our Friday plan - Friday being run day. After a very slow morning - painting, TV, pick-up sticks, balloon games and banana bread-making, Kevin persuaded Jemima she'd enjoy scooting with us on our run. In fact, he appealed to her competitive side, and asked whether she could scoot faster than we could run - and the answer turned out to be "definitely".

We drove to a car park on the edge of Portals Nous, where we could join a nicely paved path well-separated from the road that ran south-west towards Palmanova. Kevin turned on our app, and off we set, walking/ jogging and scooting along en famille. The path was great, very safe, and scattered with play areas and outdoor exercise machinery, which we promised we'd stop at on our return journey. Our route rather fortuitously led through a public sports centre with a playground, so our last stint had us running around the edge of the playground while Jemima climbed and slid in the middle.

Training over, and rain threatening, we walked down the road that leads to Palmanova beach (site of the gumball machine from our earlier Great Gumball Adventure). Coffee and a pain au chocolat later, we had a quick diversion to see the (very nice) beach and its playground; and then a slower walk back to the car, stopping at every play area, as promised - although Jemima seemed to enjoy the adult outdoor exercise machines even more, especially the cross trainer which she could just about work at full stretch.

We thought we'd try a lunch venue at this end of the village for a change. The combined Asian Fusion-Angus Steak House restaurant which had confused us every time we had driven past looked even less appealing when we got up close; so we walked around the corner and found a charming if slightly unexpected little café/ bar run by, and full of, English people, in a back street of a Mallorcan village, pretending to be a beach shack in the Caribbean. But the people were very friendly; the food was good, especially my burger; and it turned out to be just what we needed. We got back to the car before the rain set in, and drove home, happy with our small achievements (exercise and a little explore) on a very welcome restful day.