Fira de s’Oliva
After a bit of a decline in olive oil output during the Seventies and Eighties, Oli de Mallorca has come back with a vengeance. Production of olive oil in Mallorca had […]
The Baluard del Príncep
During the Middle Ages, Palma de Mallorca was a heavily fortified city. The medieval city walls were rebuilt, reinforced, strengthened and widened during the 18th century. Some of these walls […]
Dijous Bo
Every year on the third Thursday of November, Inca stages its Dijous Bo market, the year’s biggest market on the island. This year, for some reason, Dijous Bo falls on the […]
A Day in the Life of a Prison
For some reason, society seems to need prisons. Mallorca is no exception. A few years ago, a new prison was inaugurated in Palma de Mallorca. The old and previous prison […]
Cruising the Med
Most visitors to Mallorca arrive by plane, as we all know. However, between January and September of this year, more than 800,000 visitors arrived on board cruise liners. That’s quite […]
Shoeshine Boy
Chances are that you might have come across Alejandro Herranz at Mallorca’s PMI airport on one of your many comings and goings, or haven’t you? Alejandro Herranz is Mallorca’s last official […]
Pablo Picasso Meets Joan Miró
The artists, Pablo Ruiz Picasso from Málaga (1881-1973), and Joan Miró i Ferrà from Barcelona (1893-1983), shared a life-long friendship. Both had emigrated from their native Spain to Paris where they met […]
Sulayman Ibn Mansur
Let’s take a look at Mallorca’s history: From about 535 AD, Mallorca became part of the Byzantine Empire, although from the years 698 AD to 902 AD the island was […]
The Red Palm Weevil
The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is called the Picudo rojo in Castellano. Whatever you call this little beetle, its larvae is a menace, causing harm to a large number […]
Stilts and Other Waders
The black-winged Stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a long-legged wader that is commonly found in Mallorca. This Cigüeñuela Común is at home for instance in the salt marshes of Es Trenc, or in the wetlands […]
Weather Report
Mallorca suffered a bit of a turmoil weather-wise over the last ten days. October 29th brought gale force winds and torrential rain to the Palma, Calvià and Andratx areas with the loss […]
Bunyols and Buñuelos
During the Tots Sants celebrations, Mallorcans celebrate the festivities with plenty of sweet pastries. Bunyols or Buñuelos are particularly popular at this time of year. Bunyols are fritters commonly made […]
Todos Los Santos
Spain celebrates All Saints’ Day today, or Todos los Santos, or Tots Sants (November 1st). On this day families honour their deceased relatives and friends. Graves and tombs are cleaned […]
The Spanish Health Service
I do not claim to know much about the Spanish health service. I do have some varied experience with the health facilities, though, here in the Balearic islands, and my […]
Smuggling and Contraband
The people of Mallorca foster a long tradition of smuggling and similar activities of concealment. For one, the island has a strategically important position not too far from the Strait […]
Xeremias and Xeremiers
Traditional Mallorcan music is unthinkable without the Xeremia (a bagpipe). Go to any village festa and you will hear them, together with small drums, flutes and tambours. The Mallorcan bagpipe is most likely […]
The Mallorca Photo Blog 