Monthly Archives: October 2008

The Spanish Health Service

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I do not claim to know much about the Spanish health service. I do have some varied experience with the health facilities, though, here in the Balearic islands, and my verdict is one of utter esteem and appreciation.

The largest hospital in the Balearics is the one shown here, the Son Dureta Hospital Universitario with a facility of some 900 beds. The hospital was built in the Fifties and is now deemed out of date. A new, bigger and more modern hospital is currently being constructed, called Son Espases, which will replace Son Dureta upon completion, some time in 2010-11.

A lot of controversy has surrounded the new hospital project, not least for its proximity to the Monastery of La Real, dating from the 13th century. In case you wanted to read more about the Salvem la Real dispute, here is a link to the corresponding website (in Catalàn). 

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: January 30th, 2008. The time was 14:59:41.

Smuggling and Contraband

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The people of Mallorca foster a long tradition of smuggling and similar activities of concealment.

For one, the island has a strategically important position not too far from the Strait of Gibraltar, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Western Mediterranean Sea. Also, the island has a superb lineage of famous cartographers who knew the seas and in particular, the coasts like no one else.

In the 14th century pirates from North Africa and Saracens from Turkey competed with the Mallorcans for dominance in holding trade ships to ransom, until Corsairs were sponsored by state, king and crown.

Smuggling and contraband activities were particularly rife during the Twenties and Thirties when the State tobacco monopoly was heavily undermined by figures such as Mallorcan Joan March Ordinas, effecting state revenues in Spain and in the whole of the Mediterranean region. Banca March was founded in 1926 from the gains of such frivolities, and Spanish dictator, Generalissimo Francisco Franco benefited a great deal from March’s financial assistance. But, as we all know the Generalissimo is still dead.

The photo was taken near Can Picafort, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: September 16th, 2008. The time was 14:22:17.

Xeremias and Xeremiers

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Traditional Mallorcan music is unthinkable without the Xeremia (a bagpipe). Go to any village festa and you will hear them, together with small drums, flutes and tambours. The Mallorcan bagpipe is most likely a variation of an Islamic instrument, brought by the Moors a very long time ago. The bagpipes are very much in use on a regular basis, and are mostly played by young bearded men. As much as Mallorca is a location with a rich tradition of musical schooling for both, males and females, I have only seen one female playing a Xeremia in over twenty years.

The Xeremia player is called the Xeremier who will come in a formation with a small flabiol flautin and a compact tamboril drum, to be played by one and the same player.

The photo was chosen from my archive. It was taken in Felanitx, Mallorca, Spain. The date: October 13th, 2007. The time was 12:34:57.

Wind and Weather

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Those of us who are into boats and sailing will know about the importance of the winds and will know their Tramuntana (N), Mestral (NW), Ponent (W) and Xaloc (SW). These are the winds that usually bring dry and mild weather conditions, mostly originating from the inner mainland of Spain, often accompanied by a certain föhn effect.

Winds from the Migjorn (S), Xiroco (SE), Llevant (E) and Gregal NE), however, are winds that have traveled across the sea and often bring clouds and/or rain.

Mallorca, being an island, is more prone to the effects of wind or so it seems. Thus, not only fishermen and sailors look out for the weather vanes, but the farmers do, and gardeners, too. In fact everybody does, and for this reason you will find plenty of wind towers, such as this one in Molinar, near Palma de Mallorca.

The photo was taken near Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 25th, 2008. The time was 13:10:23.

The Oratory de la Consolació

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Santanyí in the south east of the island is a very particular Mallorcan pueblo, famous for artists like Cittadini, Sapere or Irueste, writers such as Blai Bonet, musicians like María del Mar Bonet, plus a history full of smuggling and contraband activities.

The nicest things about Santanyí may actually be found just outside of the village: the Parque Natural de Mondragó, Cala Mondragó and Cala S’Amarador, some 170 Talaiotic and pre-Talaiotic sites, and perhaps, best of all, the Oratori de la Consolació.

This ermita was built during the 16th century. It was here where the people of Santanyí took refuge from the threat of impending pirate attacks. The Santanyiers look after this small oratory very well, even today. A rota is on display in the small court yard, listing the names of Santanyí families in charge of taking care of the sanctuary, opening up the place, keeping it clean and locking it up again at night.

One has truly become integrated into this Mallorcan community once you have been deemed trustworthy to join the Consolació rota schedule. 

Access up the hill to the oratory is now somewhat restricted, since just over one year ago a neighboring quarry caused the collapse of the tarmac access road. You have to walk up nowadays, unless you own a mula. 

The photo was chosen from my archive. It was taken near Santanyí, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: July 25th, 2007. The time was 19:01:32.

The Ariany Fountain of Good Water

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The village of Ariany is proud of its Pou Bo, a fountain attributed to Islamic times. The Moors were particularly gifted about water conservation and irrigation, and some of their sassy installations still function today, almost 1,000 years later. The well is called Pou Bo because the water found there was considered to be of particular good quality. And it still is, even today. The pozo público lies on the edge of the camino to Petra.

The photo was taken near Ariany, Mallorca, Spain. The date: September 28th, 2008. The time was 15:21:40.

A Tibetan Sand Mandala in The Making

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An exhibition of Tibetan art from a Belgian collection, including some beautiful Thangka paintings, can be seen in Palma de Mallorca (Fundació Caixa), from now until February 8th, 2009. 

But even more exciting than the artefacts on the walls and in the vitrines is the visit of two Tibetan monks at the very Caixa exhibition venue, meticulously creating a small Mandala sand painting. The monks prepare for their work by humming and singing Tibetan chants at 11h00 every morning, before they embark on their application of thousands of grains of coloured sand onto the Mandala board. The monks don’t seem to mind us listening to their chanting, and appear to appreciate us watching them doing their painstaking work. Great joy can be had for free, listening and watching.

The finished sand painting is scheduled to be taken to the sea to be swept into the waves of the oceans, at the end of this month.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The date: October 20th, 2008. The time was 11:19:02.

Grass Slippers

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In Mallorca, a traditional craft of making sandals and shoes fashioned of grass, cane, raffia, palm leaves, sisal, bark, agave fibre, or any other odd plant material, strung, knotted, braided or woven into cord, string or bands, existed for centuries but, unfortunately is now on the wane. Only every so often, if you are lucky, one can find an older person still engaged in this art of braiding.

And whilst one may not fancy wearing one of the shoes even though one can not deny their visual beauty, these craftsmen also braid and make other objects from the same materials: belts, slings for stone throwing, hats, baskets, molds for cheese making, and other utensils galore.

The man creating all the goodies shown in my photo resides in Campanet. He will take commissions for any item that can possibly be fabricated in this age old method.

The photo was taken in Campos del Port, Mallorca, Spain. The date: October 16th, 2008. The time was 12:29:28.

The Teatro Lírico

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Mallorca has a surprisingly high number of theatres. In Palma alone, there are the Teatro Principal, the Teatro Xesc Forteza, the Teatro Municipal, the Teatro del Mar, the Teatro Sanç and, of course, the Auditorium. In the Part Forana, we find theatres in Alcúdia, Andratx, Artà, Bunyola, Cala Millor, Calvià, Campos, Capdepera, Inca, Lloseta, Manacor, Pollença, Santa Eugènia, Santanyí, Son Servera and Vilafranca de Bonany.

One of the best liked theatres was one which, sadly, does not exist any more, the Teatro Lírico in Palma de Mallorca. The theatre was originally called Teatre Circ Balear and was erected in 1870 with a stage in a circular shape to also allow for circus performances. The building was pulled down and replaced in 1902 to be rebuilt, now without the circular stage, and renamed as Teatro Lírico. When it was closed down in 1967, the building was demolished to make space for the Jardins de s’Hort del Rei. A memorial stone was erected in its place (shown in my photo). 

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The date: September 2nd, 2008. The time was 14:44:34. The postcard was probably in use during the Twenties. The Teatro Lírico is the building on the left.