Lamb is a dish of Easter and makes up the traditional Easter Sunday roast. The chopped lamb which stuffs the empanadas is appreciated by all who can get them. Pork empanadas are with us all year round, but the lamb ones make an appearance at Easter and sell out very quickly. Cornish Pasties and all the other favourites are all knocked out of the way for me by a traditional Soller Lamb pie. Give yourself an Easter treat and buy one when you see them!
In preparation for the returners at Easter the workforce has been busy tidying and finishing projects. The new playground installations at the Calatraves Playground have been unveiled and look great. The children have been very patient waiting for fun themes to explore. Many new babies in Town these days with the arrival of new families. Great to see this central Soller meeting place coming to life for them.
All the talk about reinstating a cycle lane on the main road has also happened this week. The lane has been used for years as an overflow car park. This is now finished and with all the new signs its very clear that this space is for bikes. Huge fines for those cars who dare to park on the road between the roundabouts of the Centre and L’horta.
The other main project shortly to be finished is the boulevard of the Gran Via. Half done last year, and the second part almost finished now. The cobbled road and wide pavements make this a delightful area. A link between this and the main Car Park in Town is next on the list, but I am sure that work won’t start before the end of the year.
On the Port of Soller seafront, the workers have a tricky job. They are trying to clear the sands and make them beautiful for the season. A recent storm brought in much debris and this week has churned up even more. As soon as they clean up, they must start all over again. I have lived here long enough to understand this, and I do feel sorry for the workers. There are many things, us humans can control but the effect of the weather is not one of them.
Loving the birdsong in Soller right now. Spring brings with it the scents of jasmine and orange blossom and the birds tweeting along. The dawn chorus is always a joy if you an early riser like me, but there are birds on the beach in the Port of Soller who serenade for most of the day. The ‘joy to be alive- chorus from our feathered friends is a feature of Easter in the Soller Valley.
Hot Cross Buns and Easter eggs were a big feature of my few days in London last week. Not so much here where the Lindt chocolate bunnies seem to have taken over. The fine chocolate makers in our local bakeries should not be ignored for their offerings of the season. I must admit to being addicted to the plain chocolate buttons which come in a jar from Agromart. They are my ‘must have’ favourites of the moment.
However, you spend Easter, I hope it is a happy time. My family have regular Easter friends who always visit, we are so looking forward to seeing them. I have one granddaughter already home from university and another who is spending her Easter with her basketball team in Ibiza. The other granddaughter would have come home for Easter, but the 900-pound fare quoted by Easyjet put her off. Happy Easter friends and thank you for reading our chatter from Soller…
]]>The isolated Soller Valley life is changing, and a new page is being written. The ‘free’ Soller tunnel, the frequent bus service, the fact that there an equal number of cars as people in the Valley means the freedom which mobility brings. The changes this has brought to the connection to the nearest villages is interesting to understand.
From the Soller Tunnel to the industrial estate of Son Castello lies one straight road. It has a number of roundabouts built in recent years to enable access to the villages en route. These include the most visited places such as, Alfabia Gardens, Son Amar and the Raixa centre. This straight road was often used as a racetrack by the petrol heads of the past. The roundabouts and police surveillance have largely ended those days when it was a badge of honour to achieve a speed of 200 km per hour.
Soller has a population of approx 13,500 people. There are another 11,000 people who used to knock on the door and demand entry. The villages the ‘other’ side of the Coll have a part of their being, in Soller. It is an accident of a mountain which keeps them on the ‘outside’.
I love a wander round the three villages which make up the communities on the Soller Road. First up is Bunyola with its old Church, traditional Plaza and marketplace. A population of 7343 in 2023 and growing. Easy commuting to Palma these days on the Soller Train and a decent bus service. The countryside and walks on the doorstep make this a favoured place in the Tramontana. Very connected with Soller in its history of factories and industry of the past.
As Bunyola expanded it decided to create a new village down the road. The new village name comes from an amalgamation of Palma and Bunyola and is called Palmanyola. Very much little sister of Bunyola but as it grew it wanted to be more than just a dormitory space for both Palma and Bunyola.
Palmanyola (population 2207) is unique in that it is Mallorca’s only minor local entity. This is a form of administration created in 1924 under Spain’s municipal statute and which grants devolved powers to, organise its own public works amongst other functions. In September 1985, Palmanyola became such an administration, the result of an initiative led by three residents to give Palmanyola a form of autonomy and its own voice.
When you wander the streets of this relatively new village you will find it spaciously laid out on a grid system All roads are named after flowers and the Church in the centre is a modern design. Many medical staff working at nearby Son Espases hospital live here.
Son Sardina (population 1729) is an ancient village which now finds itself between the Son Castello Industrial Estate and Son Espases hospital. To live in such close proximity to either makes it a very popular residential zone. Son Sardina has a beautiful old Church which sits alongside the football ground. Son Sardina is home to one of the finest women’s football teams on the island. Factories were a feature of the past but now most workers head for the businesses on its doorstep.
The majority, driving to Soller never think to take a turn off for an adventure. I love doing just that and am delighted by what I find and who I meet. I hope you find time to enjoy the villages of our world.
]]>In the tourism world we have watched as the FIT’s took over from corporate tourism. That’s ‘Free Independent Travellers’ versus the likes of TUI and others who do a great job with mass tourism. In the past 50 years this has come full circle and now the FITs are considering their options and liking the security in travel that the corporates bring. Uncertainty, protecting deposits and cash paid for holidays, have brought the travel agent back into vogue.
The freedom of travel and the extra holidays enjoyed by the 2024 people has changed many things. 50 years ago, a two-week holiday in the sun, was largely all you got. Now three or four holidays a year plus the odd cheeky weekend is the norm. So much so, that many decided a second home in their favourite destination was a new ambition.
When talk happens, as it is doing right now, on the development of tourism in our world I have learnt to look for the clues. They are always there as to what is going to be the next change. Take weddings for example – a huge industry developed in Mallorca and many of us became Wedding Celebrants. We had busy summers and created wonderful ceremonies for many people. Then corporate Wedding Planners decided they could earn more by having a Celebrant on their payroll. Overnight the freelance Celebrant became almost extinct. We were there for a snapshot moment in time and now ‘freelance’ is a rarity.
Currently the window to watch is ‘take away’ food. New ideas and concepts are springing up all over Mallorca and certainly in the Soller Valley. From Sushi Box picnics on the beach to deliveries of a Chef created, three course menu to your holiday rental villa. As restaurants need to up their prices, to cover increased costs, the bespoke chef is no longer the luxury it once was.
Governments talk the talk every year about winter tourism. In Soller the work is already happening from the entrepreneurs who are alive to the latest trend in our world. Ashrams, Yoga Retreats, Boot Camps have sprung up and attract the people with money and time from all over the world. Cycling is huge business, and the offers are more sophisticated every season.
The internet nomads have created a new world of Nomad Hotels designed for those who stay for months at a time. The Internet and how it controls the world of work is already into second generation development. We haven’t seen anything yet.
The pandemic gave us a view into a world where being ‘home based’ as a family was a challenge for some, sometimes divorces were a consequence. Others absolutely loved it and could see that a work life balance worked for them. Some changed their careers, so they were able to accommodate life as they now wanted it.
The feudal system in many parts of the world is being challenged. The ‘rich do what they like and call the shots’ is being challenged. If you are rich and your workers get paid the minimum wage or less, your reputation is in tatters. This is a simplistic view but one that is widely held. No employer can be proud of only paying the minimum. In Mallorca we have a problem as the Convenio contracts are largely built around the minimum wage. The idea that workers might be entitled to bonuses or profit share is struggling to be accepted. This is one of the reasons for a very troubled work sector who are often looking to move countries, to earn more money to support their families. The economic migrants of Mallorca have history of doing this in troubled times of the past. In 2024 it is still a feature of life here.
So many questions, so many clues, plus the wars in our world. 2024 is already proving to be a year when the world is turning on a different axis. In Mallorca many will flounder, most will survive, and some will be the cheerleaders of innovation and progress.
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