The party is over in Soller
Published in the Majorca Daily Bulletin
Tuesday 25th August 2015
Photographs by Rachel Fox
The City of Soller today marks the day when the all night parties stop for awhile. The San Bartholomew celebrations follow a tradition that has been enhanced now that electronic sounds, local music and musicians are given their place. We have had four consecutive nights where the live music and DJ sets have finished at 6 am. The people are tired and partied out and just want a night in at home in front of the television with an early night promised.
Everyone has their own highlights of a week long fiesta but for many the football match will be hard to beat. It is not every day that Real Mallorca plays Soller on their home ground. Alright I know it was the B team but hey that’s a big number in these parts. The Football ground of Soller is minutes from the centre and situated amongst the most beautiful scenery in the world. Where else do the mountains of the Tramuntana surround the golden bowl of Soller as a backdrop to the local football pitch? The crowds poured in happy to pay the entrance fee for the occasion. Usually we go and sit on those stone tiered steps to cheer on the children’s teams and the weekly efforts for FC Soller. No money passes hands apart from the coffee or something stronger bought from the café/bar on site. The score was 6 goal to Mallorca and 0 to Soller. The fans left the pitch happy for the experience and the kudos but bitterly disappointed at the score. We all believe we are harbouring wonderful talent in the youth and girls teams of this club. Who knows when one of them might go the Real Mallorca route…?
One of the eyesores of the Repic Beach was in the news this week with the news that one of the buildings has changed hands. There is a block at the entrance to the beach which has been ugly for years and has netting over it to save any falling masonry. This was once the small Hotel Ladan and it has a history of acquisition and then going bust because it is too expensive to renovate to the standard that people want. Another set of new owners have now appeared who have applied for permission to make this building a number of sea front apartments. I think they must have had planning permission in principle before they acquired the building but who knows? The planning laws seem very difficult to unravel and are not just confined to the local council. The powers that be in Palma have to get involved with this one so we wait for an answer. Meanwhile what is of local concern is the back of the building which overlooks a children’s park. There is fear that in a storm that the building could be unsafe and cause a problem for safety in the park. The best answer is that the permissions are granted and the builders get busy immediately – let’s hope.
The holidaymakers and visitors to Soller and the Port this week have been delighted by the sale prices they have been enjoying. The smart boutiques and shoe shops that occupy pride of place here these days have been offloading their summer stock ready for the autumn collection that need to come on display soon. It is a feature of the place that the retail heart has changed from tourist and t shirt shops to high end retail opportunities. The word is out that the ladies from Palma and beyond are making a day of it in the Soller Valley with lunch with the girls and retail therapy as the end game. I often bump into Calvia friends wandering the Soller streets and it’s great to think that the Soller Valley is on the map as a shopping destination.
Over a hundred children taking part in the summer schools of Soller had a great day this week. The huge car park of the Son Angelats Sports Centre was transformed into a series of roadways with traffic lights and direction symbols. The children brought their bikes and scooters and travelled the roads under the tuition of the police road safety team. Children as young as three were taught road safety basics. They all had a great time learning new skills and understanding respect for road and pavement users. When their lessons were over they were just minutes from the pools of Son Angelats so the day ended with a swim and splash. The Summer School kids have had great experiences this summer.
This has been another great week in the Soller Valley – with so many more events and fiestas to come we hope you make it here soon – you are very welcome…
