You may have read reports in your local (Mallorcan) newspapers that a new walkway has opened along Palma’s Dic de l’Oest (Dique del Oeste, West Pier) earlier this month.

The Dic de l’Oest is a fabulous location in as much as its position grants you the most impressive postcard view across the harbour and Palma’s seaside panorama, including unrestricted views of the Cathedral, albeit from a distance. The Dique del Oeste and the entire harbour, in fact, Palma’s entire seafront, belong to the Autoridad Portuaria de Baleares, and thus, to the mandarins in Madrid.

Well, prepare yourself for some disappointment.

The 800 metre long walkway, nicely done as it is, faces outwards to the sea and away from Palma’s views and sights. All you can see is a high wall to your left, some metal barriers and the soothing waves of the Mediterranean Sea to your right. When I went, I thought I must have got it wrong. On my way back from a quick stroll I went to the entrance of the Dique del Oeste and talked to a nice female security guard. Admission to the ‘good’ side of the Dique del Oeste installations is restricted to authorized people such as cruise ship passengers and other boat or harbour people, I was told. Residents like you and me are off-limits and are directed to where I just had come from, and that’s it.

You can either take a walk on the wild side of the Dique del Oeste, or you take no walk whatsoever.

Anyway, once you get over the disappointment, ambling along the new walkway is quite pleasant on a sunny afternoon of which we had a few over the last few days. The new walkway is open daily from 06h00 to 23h00 unless the waves get really wild and the sea is rough. In such circumstances the Port Authority will close the access for security reasons.

Well, I don’t know. Check it out for yourself.

The photo (bottom) shows the southern seafront of the Dic de l’Oest before the new walkway was built.

The photo (top) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: March 1st, 2009. The time was 17:33:19. The photo (bottom) was taken from the Internet. Credit is due to Pepe Miralles and his website, http://www.librodememoria-mallorca.blogspot.com. Muchas gracias.