By Soller Shirley
Do these numbers make for a Village or a Town? Soller is of course a City by the gift of King Alfonso, but few like to hold on to that official designation. So, Village or Town what is the criteria? Village life usually mean you largely know who your neighbours are and recognise most people who are living their lives here. I would suggest that in Soller’s case this does not happen. So, maybe Soller is a Town.
In Soller Placa and the Port there are central hubs, and you soon get to recognise the people in those places. Some are predictable and only come out at certain times of the day. You might see them out having coffee, but they may not be having a drink in the evening. Just the normal choices of everyday life.
The train stops and the majority you see out and about are local. Do you know them? Have you ever seen them before? I find this a strange phenomenon as there are thousands of people out of the 13,500, I have probably never seen. Winter fiestas always bring the comment ‘who are all these people, where do they live?’. Actually, they are your neighbours and live their lives here, just like you do.
Sometimes the chatterers believe they speak for many when in fact they speak for a small minority. There are many opinions we never get to hear or share.
As we enter the three months of local faces, look around, smile and maybe get to know a few more…
Pic by Rachel Fox
