Mallorca’s capital city is ever so slowly undergoing a process of gentrification. The Plaça Drassanes in Palma (Plaza Atarazanas) is a typical example for this development. A few years ago you could have had a Menu del Día here for as little as 6 € in a bar of long-standing. Now, it will be more like 16 €. The old-fashioned bar has disappeared. The building where the bar was located was acquired by a group of hotels a few years ago, wanting to convert the place into an upmarket boutique hotel. With the onset of La Crisis, plans had to be changed again. Now, the building shown here is earmarked to house one of Palma’s finest art galleries, Horrach Moyà.

The cosy little square, home to the office of the President of the Govern Balear and a number of government bodies, has already changed beyond recognition. New and fashionable bars and restaurants have sprung up, extending nocturnal activities of the nearby Sa Llotja district by half a mile. More changes are anticipated once the hype of the art market arrives, possibly before the end of this year, crisis or not.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: September 16th, 2011. The time was 14:05:22.