Mallorca
A car bomb exploded yesterday at 13h40 in Palmanova (Calvià), Mallorca, claiming two fatalities and shattering the tourists’ holiday dreams. Two Guardia Civil officers on duty were killed in the […]
Daily Life
This week, Mallorca is enjoying one of the busiest weeks of this year’s temporada alta (high season). The tourist season 2009 does not seem all that bad for Mallorca considering […]
Books & Authors
El Bazar del Libro in Palma de Mallorca is a book lover’s treasure trove. It is one of Palma’s institutions and a bit of a legend really. No matter what […]
History
Petra is the birthplace of Miquel Josep Serra i Ferrer, later known as Fray Junípero Serra. He joined the Franciscan order at age 16 and later became the monk who […]
Daily Life
In case you live on this island, you will have received a letter from your Mallorcan electricity supplier, either GESA or Endesa, a month or so ago. You were told […]
Architecture
Ca’n Marcel is a lavish townhouse in Palma’s old town with Gothic origins. During the 18th century, a French corsair from Marseille acquired the property and added first floor balconies […]
Daily Life
Here in Mallorca we are particularly privileged with an abundant supply of fish and seafood, and with it, the related markets and outlets for the freshest fish and of the […]
Ecology
When I saw my first castor oil plant (Ricinus communis), I immediately liked the looks of it. I had never come across it before we moved to Mallorca; here the […]
Daily Life
You might once have come to Mallorca on a ferry boat. If so you might have noticed a search done by sniffer dogs, or even been subjected to one. There […]
History
There are 14 National Parks in Spain, but only one of them is here in the Balearic Isles: Cabrera. The official name of it is Parque Nacional del Archipiélago de […]
Daily Life
Some people are harder hit by La Crisis than others. Take Maria and José, for instance (not their real names). For the last 100 days or so, the married Spanish […]
Customs & Traditions
Right now the centre island pueblo of Petra is in the midst of celebrating the village patron saint, Santa Praxedis. The saint’s day will be tomorrow (July 21st), but festivities […]
Architecture
Gaspar Bennàssar i Moner was probably the most influential town architect in Palma ever. He was appointed municipal architect in 1901 and worked for Cort (city hall) until his untimely […]
Automobiles
This is the rear window of the horse-drawn carriage that I showed you last August (Carriages before Hispano-Suiza). I had an opportunity to revisit Ca’n Vivot in Palma recently where […]
History
During the middle of the 9th century, Mallorca had agreed a pact of non-agression with the Islamic leaders of al-Andaluz in the southern part of mainland Spain. However, Mallorca appears […]
Art & Artists
A large scale mobile sculpture by American artist Alexander Calder (1898-1976) is on permanent exhibition in Palma’s Jardins de s’Hort del Rei, just below the Palau de l’Almudaina in Passeig […]