Editorial: Changing Palma

I love Palma. It is my home and it was recently voted one of the best places to live in the world by the Sunday Times. But I am rather concerned that Palma is rapidly becoming decidely “foreign.”  It is easier these days to find an Italian restaurant than one selling Spanish or Majorcan food in the centre of town. The small shops, some of which I have known since childhood, are rapidly disappearing to be replaced by yet more mobile phone shops, Chinese discount stores or fast food outlets. Now, some will say that this is a sign of the times but I am rather concerned that sometimes and in some areas of town you could easily believe that you have left Palma and gone elsewhere. Now, obviously businesses in Palma have been forced to move with the times.  A  slice of pizza may be more inviting to a visiting tourist than a slice of Coca de trampó but perhaps it should be the job of the Balearic government to try to inform tourists of the local cuisine. When I go to cities like Barcelona you do get the impression that you are in Spain. It has a Spanish feel. Perhaps it is all the changes which have taken place in our capital city over the years which make me believe that it has become a different place. I must be alone in my thinking because Palma has recently received a great accolade from the Sunday Times. Perhaps, I make this statement because I do really care about Palma and its future. Perhaps some will say that the city has changed for the better and perhaps they are right.