Balearics day freedom

Balearics Day celebrations kicked off last Saturday and caught me by surprise. | JULIAN AGUIRRE

Humphrey CarterPalma02/03/2022 10:24

What a celebration. On Saturday evening, I went for a quick wander round Sa Faxina park and along the sea front past the government headquarters and I could not believe it. Yes I knew events were being organised for the first time in two years but I did not expect to be confronted by thousands of people dancing away to the DJ in Sa Faxina or shopping at all of the stores and food outlets along the front. It was a delight to see considering the pandemic is far from over and war had just broken out in Ukraine.

I could feel the sense of freedom and “normality” in the air. Yes, in areas where it was really congested, masks were on, but for the most part it was more a celebration of having more of less got through Covid and that, at least, the future is looking brighter, well to a certain extent depending on what Putin still has up his sleeves.

And the party continued all weekend, well into the main day yesterday.

Palma has been heaving over the past few days and I’ve even heard some foreign accents and they were tourists not residents.

What happens now remains to be seen. Some Spanish medical experts are warning of a seventh wave, but I think we’ve all learnt to live with Covid and we know what to do.
Fingers crossed the party and the good vibes continue through the summer.