Hello everyone!
As part of my project for the Gilman Scholarship I will be writing once a week about the work, the food, the fun, and the people of Alcúdia. Let’s dive in!
Carrer del Moll in the old city of Alcúdia
Background
We are visiting Alcúdia to work in the archeological site of Pollentia where we work alongside a team of archeologists and other volunteers led by Dr. Miguel Angel Cau Ontiveros. We will be digging the necropolis area, which is known as Can Fanals, and we will also be conducting research on pigments found on paintings and pottery. We will also be identifying the elemental composition of coins and other metals using an XRF spectrometer, a Raman spectrometer, and a LIBS.
Getting to Alcúdia
If you are a fan of airports and planes you will love this part. My trip started with an 11-hour flight from Los Angeles to the German city of Düsseldorf. It was uncomfortable, but on the bright side I did get two in-flight meals. After the flight, I spent four hours wandering around the airport trying to decipher the German signs. Finally, after a two-and-a-half-hour flight to Palma de Mallorca, and a one hour bus ride I made it to Alcúdia!
It was great to finally see some familiar faces after almost 20 hours of traveling. Ben and Andrea met me at the bus station and walked me over to the “Artist’s House”, which is where I am staying alongside Andrea, and University of Portland students Riley, Jonathan, and Kevin.
Once I was settled in we walked over to the “Sant Vicenç House” where Kara, Andrew, Triona, Ben, and Sarah are staying. We all went out to dinner at Cas Capella where the food was great!
