250,000 kms versus 30,000 kms…
A coffee chatter gossip built into a bigger story as more people gathered. In my years of running around Mallorca in an increasingly battered car I have clocked up 250,000 kms. This represents my life here from school runs to wedding venues, to hospital vigils, to client meetings, to interviews, to sightseeing, to an island wide interest in events and people.
One friend said that his car was heading for a 10th anniversary with a mere 30,000 on the clock. Others said that as they only ever left the Valley for Palma it was always the train or the bus for them. Still more joined in and said that when they retired to the Soller Valley that’s exactly what they did and they don’t ever leave. In fact, most of that group do not own a car.
Relocation means individual choices and decisions. Some are joiners and many do not want to organise anything but just do what the mood tells them each day.
English speakers in the Soller Valley are a small percentage of the total. In the past, their first point of meeting like minded others, was at Bar Turismo when Elena Davis ran the daily English library. Those days are long gone even though Elena managed to be 103 when she left her beloved Valley in 2016.
Occasional threads on ‘I have a question Soller’ Facebook page ask if there are any English speaking meeting places in the Soller Valley for newly arrived English speakers. The responses are very interesting from those recommending Bar Blue, Bar Turismo and Sa Fonda. The co-working office spaces emerging are also becoming hubs for meeting new people.
The majority of the people who were involved in this discussion were of the opinion that when they made their relocation choice it was to move to a local place with local people and language. They had no aspiration for the areas of the Mallorca where the UK voices outnumber the rest.
I totally respect their decisions and I hope they all have great Solleric friends and chatter away happily in Mallorquin. I also know that until that state of being develops there are many in our community who are new, lonely and would really like to have a chat and know about things they can join in with.
On Sollerweb we have our Events Calendar and we are pleased to promote venues and events happy to be known as ‘a welcoming meeting place’. Please let us know if you would like to be included in this section of the calendar. Happy 2020 reflections
Written by Shirley Roberts
Photograph by Gary Lloyd Rees
