Mr and Mrs Mubarak enjoy a Palma shopping spree

So impressed with Majorca, the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak and his wife Suzanne when they left the Hotel Formentor on Saturday morning, decided to book 21 rooms at the Son Vida and stay a little longer. Yesterday they were still here and opted for a spot of shopping in downtown Palma. The Mubaraks with their entourage of security and assistants descended on the city centre. First stop was El Corte Ingles on Jaime III. Mrs Mubarak visited the store on the Avenidas on Saturday so yesterday the party headed to Palma's main high street. The Mubarak entourage spent some two hours in the store, spending the best part of 100'000 pesetas on a hand bag and three pairs of shoes. As they wandered about the heart of Palma, they were shadowed by two official cars which parked directly outside whichever shop the Mubaraks happened to enter. At a distance, the Guardia Civil were also keeping a watchful eye on developments. The President spent the weekend making the most of the weather, breakfasting on the terrace at the Son Vida and visiting the island. The bill for the 21 rooms? Somewhere in the region of six million pesetas. Come again...