Daily Life
In Mallorca, we have had a rather abrupt end to this year’s Summer, remember? Well, now, after all the massive rain, storms and lightning, a later Summer has emerged over […]
Animals
The Ibicencan Hound (Podenco Ibicenco) is also sometimes called the Pharaoh Hound in reference to its assumed Egyptian origins. Some sources claim that any Egyptian roots have been disproved and […]
Felanitx
For all the foodies amongst you, I am happy to report that the wild mushroom season has started early. The incredible amount of rain all over the island during the […]
Fiestas & Festivals
October is usually the month of organ music in Mallorca. This year, two important organ festivals coincide where top organists of international renown will be performing. Last night saw the […]
Art & Artists
The cheerful colours of a cloth known as Roba de Llengües is probably the most characteristic visual symbol of Mallorcan art and craft traditions. The age-old cloth typically has a […]
Ecology
I love the island of Cabrera, or should I rather say, the Parc nacional de l’arxipèlag de Cabrera. To protect this National Park, it was decided some years ago that […]
Architecture
Every single traditional Mallorcan finca (farmhouse) has its own stone built, wood fired horno (bread oven; forn in Catalan). These bread ovens were used for the weekly ritual of baking […]
Architecture
One of the oldest buildings on the island has to be the Palau de l’Almudaina in Palma. Obviously, there are ruins of buildings even older than the Almudaina here in […]
Daily Life
The Spanish Government under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has announced it will raise IVA taxes (impuestos sobre el valor añadido) by 2 % to 18 % from July 2010. That’s […]
Daily Life
The annual Gota Fría spell seems to be settling in this year for a real string of heavy storms and torrential weather. Yesterday, the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología raised the […]
Felanitx
You may have come across a strange looking, small fruit in Mallorcan shops and local markets called Gínjol, especially at this time of year. This Ziziphus jujuba fruit is also […]
Architecture
In Alcúdia, a rather stunning building houses the Casa Consistorial de Alcúdia (town-hall). This ayuntamiento is said to be one of the most beautiful municipal town-hall buildings in all of […]
Beaches
In 1959, during the reign of Francisco Franco and with Spanish culture at a great distance from its European neighbours or its South American cousins, the Spanish author Camilo José […]
Architecture
I actually like the Pueblo Español in Palma de Mallorca, I have always liked it. This Spanish Village was the brainchild of Fernando Chueca Goitia, an architect specialising in the […]
Farming
The Algarrobo tree (Ceratonia siliqua, Carob tree) is very characteristic of the Mediterranean region. The plant provides one of Mallorca’s traditionally most important crops, the algarroba fruit (carob fruit, also […]
History
One of the nicest places of devotional worship in Palma de Mallorca to my mind is the Oratori de Sant Feliu, not far from the Passeig des Born. The Gothic […]