Monthly Archives: August 2008

The Torero’s Trophy

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I was commenting about the Felanitx bullfights the other day. Here is some follow-up.

In Spanish-speaking countries, if and when the crowd considers the matador or torero to having done exceptionally well, he will be given a standing ovation, with men throwing hats and ladies throwing roses into the arena to show their appreciation. The successful torero (“killer of bulls”) will also have earned a severed bull’s ear, sometimes even two, and exceptionally even the tail of the bull, depending on the quality of his or her performance (yes, there are a few female toreros). If the bull’s performance was also outstanding, the public may petition the president of the bullring for a vuelta. This is when the crowd applauds as the dead bull is dragged once around the ring.

I went back to the Plaza de Toros in Felanitx the day after the last bullfight, and took today’s photo. If you look closely you can make out part of a banderilla, a knife, and some black objects, which in fact are such cut-off bull’s ears. It angers me somewhat that the whole fuss is about doing a good show and earning a supposedly well deserved trophy, only to find that the acquired trophy is then disregarded, discarded and thrown out. A little respect for the combatant, in this case the bull with the no. 100, 101, 109, 110, 111 or 115, would have been of the order, don’t you think?

The photo was taken in Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: August 29th, 2008. The time was 09:09:35.

End of Summer Delights

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Ah, the delights of late Summer. The fig season is starting now, at the end of summer, and figs are sold either fresh off the tree, or else, dried. The ripe fresh fig is full of sumptuous flavours. Heavenly.

The beauty of Mallorcan figs is found in its variety. There are white figs, green figs, red figs, blue figs, violet figs and black figs, plus dozens of in-between varieties. There are Hivernenca, Verdal, Martinenca, Coll de Dama Blanca, Coll de Dama Negre, Paratjal, Aubacó, Rotja, De la Senyora, De la Roca, Galantina, Bordissot Blanca, Bordissot Negre, Cucurella, Morisca, Vecal, Ull de Perdiu, De sa Tira, Blanca Clara, Xina, Perejal, Porquenya and Llimonenca varieties out of a total of some 75 different fig specimen. It is said that there are even too many fig varieties in Mallorca to be classified by European norms. The queen of all figs is rightly called Sa Reina, which to my knowledge will not be ripe until the end of September.

Sadly, though, the Mallorca fig cultivation is in pretty steep decline, as is so much else here related to agricultural matters. You better try some Mallorcan figs; who knows if there will be any in a few years from now.

There will be a village fête dedicated to the dried fig variation, in Lloret de Vistalegre, called Festa des Sequer, usually during the first half of September.

The photo was taken near Vilafranca de Bonany, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: August 27th, 2008. The time was 14:41:07.

Six Young Toros Came to Felanitx

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These six young bulls were branded with their respective numbers, no. 100, 101, 109, 110, 111 and 115 (one of the bulls is just outside of my frame, in case you wondered). The Novillos came courtesy of bull breeders, Hermanos Garcia Jimenez, in Cabaco, Salamanca. None of the six bulls survived yesterday’s bullfights in Felanitx.

Three young Novilleros (Garza Gaona from Mexico, David Jimenez, from Sevilla, and Jorge Escudero, also from Sevilla) displayed their Estoque aided dominance at the Plaza de Toros, Felanitx, in front of some 2,800 spectators, including youngsters. 

The Plataforma Antitaurina de Felanitx staged a colourful anti-bullfight protest outside in front of some 280 sympathizers, but not to much avail.

The photo was taken in Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: August 28th, 2008. The time was 11:15:01.

The Diocesan Museum in Palma

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The Palau Episcopal, the residence of the Bishop of Mallorca, has undergone an extensive renovation, recently. Nine months ago, the Museu Diocesà re-opened in the new setting, and a visit is highly recommended.

The museum displays some of the treasures of the Mallorcan Church of which there are many as one might imagine. There are relics of religious sculpture, archaeology, ceramics, ecclesiastical art as well as Gothic paintings, with a few original pieces thrown in for good measure, designed by Antoni Gaudí. The museum also comprises the very beautiful oratory of Sant Pau, dating from the 15th century.

The Museo Diocesano and the Palacio Episcopal are near the sea front, just behind the cathedral in Palma de Mallorca. Opening hours are 10h00 to 14h00, Tuesday to Friday. Admission is 3 €, unless you are a resident, in which case you could gain access for a mere 1 €.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: April 11th, 2008. The time was 13:15:32.

Carriages, Before Hispano-Suiza

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The first motorcar ever to be matriculated in Spain was a Hispano-Suiza, in 1898 in Barcelona. The Fábrica Hispano-Suiza de Automóviles was founded that very same year by Emilio de la Cuadra in Barcelona, in collaboration with a Swiss engineer, Marc Birkig. Their enterprise quickly grew into Spain’s most reputed automotive manufacturer.

My photo shows a horse drawn carriage pre-dating motorcars by some ten, fifteen years, possibly also built in Barcelona. I spotted the treasure in Palma de Mallorca, earlier this year.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: May 14th, 2008. The time was 12:37:18.

Mallorcan Coal Mining

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Coal mining is not necessarily an activity that one would expect on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca. But, perhaps one should. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were a number of coal mines in operation in Mallorca, mainly in the Alaró, Lloseta, Selva, Binissalem, Consell and Sineu region in the centre of the island, giving employment to some 600 mineros.

Not so long ago, in 1989, the last active mine, run by the Lignitos S. A., a company owned by GESA, was closed down. In 2000, their old coal mine of Sa Truiola, in Lloseta, was restored to its former glory. Since that time, the surviving Mallorcan coal miners meet once a year, in December, to indulge in joyful reminiscence of past activities and to celebrate a church service in honour of Santa Bárbara, the miners’ patron saint. 

The main photo was taken in Sóller, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: July 17th, 2008. The time was 14:53:55. The small photo is published courtesy of Pedro Nadal, an ingeniero de minas. Gracias, Pedro.

The Rise of China

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China demonstrated their abilities of competitiveness with great ease at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, winning 51 Gold, 21 Silver and 28 Bronze medals during the last fortnight. Not all competitions were won fair and square, I suppose, but that in itself is nothing new in sport competitions or Olympic Games.

Nearer home, here in Mallorca, you may have noticed a sudden rise of Chinese mega shops opening up over the last few years, everywhere. Here in Felanitx, where I live, at least four of such ventures have opened their doors in the last few years, each one bigger than the previous one, and each one offering wares more hideous and ghastly than the next.

I have now discovered where all the Chinese merchandise originates from. A Bazar Nuevo Oriental wholesale warehouse in the Polígono de San Castelló on the outskirts of Palma de Mallorca (shown here) appears to be the main supplier of Chinese knick-knack on the island, be that plastic flowers, bras, handbags, t-shirts, cutlery, tools, toys or novelties of unspeakably bad taste and questionable merit. Whad’ya know?

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 17th, 2008. The time was 13:04:27.

Rambla dels Ducs de Palma de Mallorca

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The Rambla in Palma de Mallorca used to be called Passeig de La Rambla.

During the Franco years and after the Spanish Civil War, the Rambla was, however, called Vía Roma in homage to Il Duce Mussolini who helped Franco in his ultimately successful attempt to overthrow the Spanish Second Republic (April 14th, 1931 – April 1st, 1939).

A few years ago, the Ramblas were renamed as Rambla dels Ducs de Palma de Mallorca, thus honouring King Juan Carlos’ younger daughter, Infanta Cristina de Borbón, and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, an Olympic Bronze medal winner in Atlanta 1996, and again, in Sydney 2000, together with the Spanish National handball team. The two met in 1996 during the Atlanta Olympics. The princess had been a member of the Spanish sailing team at the Seoul 1988 Olympics. The couple have four children.

At the top of the Ramblas, two copied statues of Roman warriors grace the entrance of the tree lined boulevard. The originals belong to Cardinal Despuig‘s collection.

During Medieval times, the Torrente de La Riera had its riverbed here, until in October 1403, some severe flooding caused the death of thousands of citizens. The dry riverbed was consequently moved away from here and to its present location in Passeig Mallorca, at that time well outside of Ciutat‘s city boundaries.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: April 23rd, 2008. The time was 11:45:23.

Basket Weaving

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During the Summer village festes, one can sometimes see the demonstration of traditional Mallorcan arts and crafts, such as here, the weaving of baskets, hats and other some such trinkets.

The ladies in my photo are from Capdepera in the East of Mallorca, where this tradition is still upheld. The basket weavers use the leaves of the palmito palm tree (Chamaerops humilis L.), also called palmitera, or margalló in Catalán, or garballó in Mallorquin, for their handiwork. This traditional Mallorcan craft is known by the name of Llatra. There is a very informative website giving endless insights into all aspects of the Llatra craft, its tools, the materials used and so on. The only drawback is that it is in Catalán. However, if you should be interested, the ample offer of photographs could easily be enjoyed even without a great many linguistic abilities. Just try it.

The Chamaerops humilis L. palm tree, by the way, is the only truly indigenous palm tree in Mallorca. All other palm trees are imported from either North Africa, the Canary Islands, or else from the American or Asian continents.

The photo was taken in Selva, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 8th, 2008. The time was 12:00:21.

La Gota Fría

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The weather in Mallorca has been erratic this year as any local campesino would testify should you care to ask him.

However, I dare say that one of the regular features of weather patterns in Mallorca is about to make an appearance within the next two weeks or so, if not even today or tomorrow: La gota fría. The ‘cold drop’ is an annual phenomenon in the Mediterranean region at this time of year, a torrential downpour caused by very cold air passing over the much warmer sea. The gota fría phenomenon is associated with extremely violent downpours and storms and can produce flash floods, hail and even snow.

The gota fría usually makes an unfailing appearance after the first week of September, but this year being what it is, some weather patterns seem to have advanced by a week or two. La Gota Fría website predicts a drastic change in the weather situation within the next 36 to 48 hours and an influence of cold air from the Atlantic. You have been warned.

I am sorry to say that I do not have a photo of a gota fría in Mallorca of my own, even though I have experienced more than a good dozen or so of them over the last twenty years. This photo was taken by miggim3 in Almuñecar, Granada, Spain. The date: September 21st, 2007. Muchas gracias.