Spotlight on Soller: The news is full of water and masks in Soller

I thought no more about this until I saw an announcement that these rules now apply in Spain – since April 6 2022. At a senior level the government has decided that no-one should have to pay for a glass of tap water. The fact that all that has been heard of this story are a few moans, that free water arrives in a glass, which still has washing up costs attached to it, is telling. Most of my café and restaurant friends had no idea of this rule and had no intention of implementing it. The profit on bottled water is not going to be given up without a fight.

As you read this the rules about wearing Face Masks inside buildings should have come to an end. The only exceptions are Public Transport and all health centres and hospitals. So many are just not happy about this and say they will continue to wear one. That is their prerogative but they have no right to comment on those who will no longer wear a mask in the cinema, in shops, in the theatre or in churches. Our Easter visitors from other countries were surprised they still had to wear them and some just refused. It is just as well this change is happening before local rows boil over, in tourist locations.

Easter Weekend

Everyone will tell you of the outstanding Easter weekend Mallorca has enjoyed. In the Soller Valley restaurant reservations were difficult to get. Many resorted to a take away in their hotel rooms. The advice is already out for visitors to make their restaurant reservations in advance of their arrival here. The expectation is that this season is going to be unprecedented.

Penitents Parades

Tradition is a friend of the Soller Valley and this year the Penitents Parades returned after a two year absence. The streets were lined with people watching and trying to work out the role the different groups were playing. Some of the interpretations and explanations given by one friend to another made interesting listening. They ranged from full Ku Klux Klan membership to theatre groups producing a living Easter play. There is plenty written on the history of the Brotherhoods but few want to read anything. They just want someone to tell them the story.

WWW.

Podcasts, stories and recordings are all over the place. Indeed, I have a library of 20, I have done myself, for Sollerweb. The spoken, storytelling word, is an essential part of our advertising and promotions in 2022, as it has been for the past five years. Constantly keeping up is the important lesson for all with a story to tell. If you are late jumping on the new ‘curve’ it takes ages to catch up.

So many like to announce proudly that they ‘don’t do’ internet things. I really am not sure how the future is going to work for them. Facebook might eventually become an irrelevance but it will be replaced by the next ‘new’ thing. Get with the programme is the only answer for us all if we really want to know what is going on.

Phoneless

Last Saturday I left the phone at home when I went up to Soller Market. I was out for about 4 hours without any connectivity. I felt uneasy as I am so used to being just a bleep away from anything. For a few hours I just enjoyed all the connections and conversations I was having and was liberated. No one could contact me unless they saw me walking past. When I got home I was glad to see my phone friend and hastily checked for the important messages I missed. The only call was a mobile phone provider selling me their services. That was all I had missed. I am really not so important after all…