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Mediterranean

Daily Life

Our Daily Bread

I cannot think of many smells that excite me as much as the smell of freshly baked bread, coming from a baker’s shop somewhere in the neighbourhood. Good quality bread […]

Boats

Lifeboats

There are seven Salvamar lifeboats operating out of the Illes Balears, four of which are based here in Mallorca. All Spanish lifeboats operate under the wings of the Marina Mercante, […]

Customs & Traditions

Semana Santa

Yesterday’s Diumenge del Ram (Palm Sunday) marked the start of Semana Santa (the Easter week) in Spain. In Mallorca, Catholic churches all over the island handed out olive branches or […]

Daily Life

Pollen Alert

Apparently, the intensive downpours over the least six to eight months here in Mallorca have laid the ground for an imminent and rather excessive pollen outburst. It would appear that […]

Boats

The Gordian Knot

The skilled tying of knots is a very challenging task to master as any sailor or fisherman will tell you, or any boy scout for that matter. There are knots […]

Animals

Swan Lake

You may have admired the pair of black swans inhabiting the water basin underneath the Palau de l’Almudaina in Palma de Mallorca (see my blog entry dated January 18th, 2008). […]

Customs & Traditions

Cofradías

The Easter festivities in Spain hold a very special attraction, at least for those of us living here as ex-pats. The Easter processions in Mallorca during Semana Santa are exceptional […]

History

The Civil War Ended 70 Years Ago

Seventy years ago today, the end of the Guerra Civil in Spain was declared. The Civil War devastated this country. A war, often between brothers or cousins, raged in Spain […]

Daily Life

The Bombona de Butano

There is some good news for a change, as long as you live in Spain. From tomorrow, April 1st, the retail price for a bombona (cylinder) of Butano gas will […]

Health

The Plague

The village of Artà had the misfortune of being infested by the peste (plague) in 1820. Other Mallorcan pueblos such as Son Servera and Capdepera suffered a similar fate, then. […]

History

The Monestir de Miramar

The Monestir de Miramar between Valldemossa and Deià was founded in 1276 by Jaume II, the first ever King of Mallorca, at the request of Ramon Llull. Miramar was not […]

Automobiles

New Mercedes E-Models Launched

German car makers Mercedes-Benz came to Mallorca to launch their new E-Class models. Rumours have it that some 15,000 Mercedes dealers from all over the world were invited to our […]

Beaches

Cruz Roja

The International Red Cross is a wonderful operation. I have never had a calamity where I would have been in need of their assistance, but it is a good feeling […]

Animals

Honey And No Milk

When we first came to live in Mallorca, we soon noticed the ubiquitous presence of sheep, coupled with a noticeable absence of cows. As a consequence fresh milk and other […]