Affordable Mallorca | How to Survive in the Heat

Summer afternoon...summer afternoon. To me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~ Henry James

35 degrees and the thermometer is rising. Your dog sprawls panting in the shade and sweat is pouring down your back? Let's face it: we love the summers in Mallorca! We come or live here because of those reliably blue skies, the cool mornings that go into hot, hot days where a dip in the pool is an orgasmic experience. Whether you are visiting or live here, this is how you make your Mallorca Summer a wonderful experience.

Slow Right Down #

In July and August, you want to take your life out of fifth gear, put her in second and enjoy the ride. There is a good thing about mañana-mañana, because life is easy here. It's going to be 40° C and you don't want to be out riding your bicycle in that heat.

Keep Your House Cool #

To keep your house or flat as cool as possible, close shutters during the day, open all windows during the night for cross-ventilation. If you have no shutters, white curtains hanging from a rail installed on the outside of windows & doors are a cheap, efficient and attractive alternative to keep the sun out.

As a more affordable alternative to AC, get yourself an industrial fan (or better: two) and keep the air moving. Collateral benefit: mosquitoes hate being in the breeze.

Food & Drink #

Believe it or not, science says that hot drinks are actually better than ice tea. There is a downside to this, however. Be careful: you could lose up to 2 litres an hour in perspiration, so fill up your body!

Talking about drink: Be careful with alcohol consumption. Alcohol dehydrates the body and increases the risk for heat stroke.

Food & drink is the number one factor to make you stay nice and cool. So, follow these simple suggestions.

Start the morning with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice at your local bar.
Make sure to have a light breakfast, then any strenuous activity before the heat of the day.
For lunch it's gazpacho time. Cucumber is guaranteed to cool you off and yoghurt, too. In India with average year-round temperatures around 32–40 °C(90–104 °F) in most of the interior, people swear by cooling raitawith their meals, a yoghurt & cucumber drink. Or why not try our recipe for a creamy Cucumber Gazpacho
Early evening meals might be healthy, but Mallorquins have their dinners way after sundown for a reason. The body has to cool down before it digests food.
You might try a late-afternoon snack of fresh water melon. It's hydrating and has the natural sugars your body craves to replenish the electrolytes you lose through perspiring.

All said, there is nothing better than splurging 10 whole euros on a menu del día filling up on some delicious paella and the glass of cold vino rosado, strolling home in the heat, heaving a really nice cool shower and rolling into bed, lounge chair or hammock in front of your fan. It's siesta time!

Water! #

And remember: Not matter what time of day or night, you can always have this dip in the pool or the sea or have this wonderful cool shower. When was the last time you had this naked midnight swim?