A bit about the locals…
Mallorca is an island in the Mediterranean, located at a crossroad of trade routes. At different points in the island’s history it belonged to both Romans and Arabs. Corsairs and pirates used to hide their treasures in the steep cliffs of its northern coast. In the present day the island is visited by millions of tourists. All of that left a mark on the local people. Native majorcans are not exceptionally open people. They respect their traditions and try to preserve them together with the language.
On the island is the second official language of Catalan or Mallorcan, so it is not surprising that all information about holidays and events is sometimes in Mallorcan, usually incomprehensible to a traveler or an expat living on the island. But there is almost nothing in English. And overall finding information about events is a tricky task. You can see posters or brochures in the information points, ask the locals, because some celebrations repeat year after year. Those who were lucky enough to attend a traditional celebration are left with a pleasant impression of its versatility, magnitude and business. There is not only traditional music performed on the traditional musical instrument xeremia, similar to a gaita, dancing ball de bot, huge flowery dolls with big heads, playing on “batukada” drums, masked demons, correrfoc (running with fire), but also market for tasting local products, as they say «bread and spectacles» on the backdrop of small medieval towns.
The cities themselves have retained their authenticity and pristinity. In Mallorca, before building or rebuilding something, one must obtain a permit from the city hall, and unless the building fits into the norms and the overall architectural ensemble, it will not be granted. Thanks to that, a visit to the island feels like a dive into the entourage of the past with modern contents.
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