Frédéric Chopin spent three months in Mallorca in the Winter of 1838-39, some 169 years ago. He came in the company of George Sand and her two children from her marriage with Count Dudevant. Chopin suffered from tuberculosis and had been advised to spend the Winter in southern regions, such as the mild and dry climate of Mallorca.

Chopin is said to have composed the Prelude No. 15 in Valldemossa (Mallorca), better known as the Raindrop Prelude. From that piece of music and some other bits of information we gather that the Winter of 1838-39 was wet, damp and cold, with plenty of rain. The good news is, though, that Chopin lived another ten years after he travelled back from the inhospitable weather of Mallorca.

Most visitors journey to Valldemossa to explore the Real Cartuja in their quest to retrace the steps of Monsieur Chopin and Madame Dudevant Dupin, as George Sand was officially known as. Not everybody knows that there is a Plaça Frédéric Chopin in the heart of Palma de Mallorca with a bust in the composer’s honour, commemorating the 150th anniversary of his sojourn in Mallorca in 1988.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The date: January 11th, 2008. The time was 14:14:51.