Mar 29 at 9:10 PM
Welcome to our Soller world
Published in the Majorca Daily Bulletin
Tuesday 31st March 2015
Photographs by Rachel Fox
The Soller Valley has woken up to sunshine and Easter visitors. The supermarket car park is overflowing and the slow traffic behind pods of cyclists is a fact of life again. The ‘season’ is upon us and everyone has a smile of their face. There is no doubt that Sollerics enjoy their winter months and having time to walk the mountains and beaches and catch up with friends. But come the spring they are ready for their work and getting on with what they do so very well. Many returning visitors will be able to see the progress made in so many areas through the winter months. The demolition of the Hotel Rocamar has made way for a great mountain path linking up to the walks towards Deia and beyond. The extra parking spaces and a new road in Soller are going to be enjoyed by all as it links Soller towards Biniaraix and Fornalutx. A huge amount of work has gone on in the past six months and the benefits are obvious now.
Last Saturday the community gathered on the Repic Beach to be part of the Beach clean and research project being undertaken by the Ondine Association under the title ‘Dos Manos’ – Two Hands’. Their philosophy is that this is our world and we can make a difference with our two hands in just thirty minutes. Volunteers were given a collection bag and rubber gloves and told to pick up the rubbish on the beach and gather it in the bags for burning or recycling. It was a simple request – use your two hands for thirty minutes to make a difference. That is exactly what a crowd of friends did and others were raking all the sticks and bamboo and making piles for a bonfire.
The event was sponsored by Ondine with the assistance of the Bonnie Lass charter boat that went out by sea to outlying inaccessible beaches to do the same there. Many people walked by and asked questions and were surprised to learn of the problem that the ‘man made’ beaches have. The Port of Soller has a small amount of natural beach; the rest has been created over the years with regular dumps of fresh sand to augment what is already there. This beach creation buries rubbish which eventually finds its way to the surface. This means that the beach is constantly in need of cleaning and rubbish collection. The work of the morning plus the education involved was an eye opener for many and very useful.
The Soller Market was buzzing on Saturday morning with the Artisans stalls making their huge contribution to the fountain square of Soller . The talent in this place never ceases to amaze me and so many unique products are on offer there every week… Up towards the station ‘Glace Moustache’ had their opening event and delighted the crowds with their retro ice cream van selling English sweets( think pear drops and fruit salad) plus cup cakes, crunch cakes and homemade Soller lemonade. This is a regular Saturday morning spot for Glace Moustache this year which means that so many more people will be able to smile every time they see it – just like we do
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Palm Sunday in Soller was celebrated by the procession leading into the Church of Sant Bartolomew . The palm crosses and displays were impressive as was the number of people in church for this significant date. Easter is observed in time honoured tradition in the Soller Valley and the parades of the penitents starting on Thursday heralds the fraternities marching behind the beat of a solemn drum. There are parades on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday and then the resurrection parade on Easter Sunday. The Easter visitors to this area stand in silence with local people as the parades pass by. Some will find the hooded costumes macabre but it is best not to have a superficial view on this whole season. The history of the Fraternities, what they represent and what the tradition commemorates is very interesting and worth the research.
On Easter Saturday Soller is giving the day to one of its own. We have a child in Soller who has a very rare condition requiring the devotion and support of his family and the wider community. Saturday 4th April 2015 has been designated a ‘Day for Emy’ and a host of fund raising activities are taking place. A half marathon, children’s events, concert and sporting activities are amongst the many activities taking place. The Son Angelats Sport Centre is the hub of all the events and everything will end there with a communal barbeque and live music. Many local businesses and individuals are really getting behind this event and doing all they can to raise the money that will make a difference.
There are many reasons to visit Soller this Easter – do come and see us – you are very welcome.
