December 2008 – The Mallorca Photo Blog

Molts d’Anys

At the occasion of New Year’s Eve, let me wish you a Happy New Year, or as the Mallorcans say, Molts d’anys (many years, i. e. a long life). Don’t […]

Architecture

The Torre de Pareires in Porto Pí

Palma’s Avinguda Gabriel Roca is locally better known as Passeig Marítim. Interestingly, the water-faced side of this stretch along the seafront does not come under the auspices of Palma’s municipal […]

Architecture

The Winter Solstice Rose Window

A rather stunning and beautiful apparition could be observed in Palma de Mallorca over the last fortnight, early in the mornings. On the day of the Winter solstice, the light […]

Customs & Traditions

Día de Los Santos Inocentes

The Día de los Santos Inocentes (Day of the Holy Innocents) is the Spanish speaking world’s equivalent to the April Fool’s day. This day is a religious holiday named in […]

Daily Life

Mounted Police

The Policía Municipal in Palma de Mallorca has some of their agentes municipales mounted on horseback, you might be interested to know. Of course, the Palma policeman is usually on […]

Daily Life

El Pequeño Verano

El pequeño verano (Letni dzien/A Summer Day) is not only a novel by Sławomir Mrożek (Borzecin/Poland, 1930) but also a pretty regular weather pattern around Christmas time in Mallorca. True, […]

Art & Artists

Joan Miró Died 25 Years Ago Today

The Catalan artist, Joan Miró i Ferrà, died on Christmas Day 1983, 25 years ago today. At the time of his death he was one of Spain’s most important contemporary artists. Since then, […]

Customs & Traditions

A Mallorcan Christmas Tradition: Neules

Delicately cut-out paper disks are a Mallorcan Christmas tradition going back perhaps 200 years: Neules. They are a sort of doily cut out of white paper. Some of these decorations […]

Customs & Traditions

Hot Chestnuts

This year, Palma de Mallorca hosts three public Christmas Markets, one in Plaça Major, the main square, one in Plaça Espanya, and one in the Rambla Ducs de Palma. There […]

Customs & Traditions

The Simmering Heat of Almond Shells

We all love the beauty of the almond blossom in January/February in Mallorca. We also relish Mallorcan almonds even though it seems increasingly difficult to get any in the markets. […]

Customs & Traditions

Kindling the Chanukah lights

The relatively small Jewish community in Mallorca will tonight light a candle on the right side of the Menorah (candelabrum), on the first night of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, […]

Daily Life

Some Rich, Some Famous, Some Immortal

Deià is a small municipality and a striking village in Mallorca’s Serra de Tramuntana mountain range, located in a steep valley populated since prehistoric times. Its name appears to derive […]

Customs & Traditions

Crushed Olives

I have told you about olives before, and the delights of Mallorcan olive oil. But olives are food in Mallorca as well, and in particular the oliva trencada, the crushed […]

Customs & Traditions

Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Christmas time in Spain is Turrón time. Turrón (Torró in Catalan) is a confection similar to nougat, typically made of honey, sugar and egg white, with toasted almonds, hazelnuts or […]

Daily Life

Collector’s Item With Sidecar

Now and then, one can see classic motorcars on the streets of Mallorca, most often, a Sixties FIAT 600, a Thirties Mercedes or a Twenties Citroën. Sometimes, one can see […]

Fiestas & Festivals

Mallorcan Nativity Scenes

One of the many delights of pre-Christmas time in Mallorca every year, apart from the switching-on of the Christmas lights, is the display of the Beléns (Betlems in Catalan, nativity scenes). You […]

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Month: December 2008