 Is it September already? Good! This is one of my favourite months on the island. The temperatures and visitors start to diminish and things begin to get back to normal...whatever that is here on Mallorca!
There are still fiestas going on and one of the biggest is in Santa Ponsa where the Rei Jaume fiesta takes over the town for the best part of a fortnight. Unsuspecting holidaymakers who have innocently wondered down to the beach find themselves either in the middle of a pitched battle or being attacked by fire-wielding demons!
The celebrations mark the landing of King Jaume on the island 781 years ago. (Long memories the Mallorcans!) The legend has it that he and his chums landed at Santa Ponsa and kicked seven colours out of the resident Moors. Well, there was no television or internet back in 1229 so they had to do something to keep themselves amused!
Each year the locals dress up as either Jaume's lot (all in white as the Christians) or the Moors (much better outfits!) and re-enact the events of centuries ago, including the battle on the beach.
Now this is a marvellous opportunity to settle a few scores. Say one of your neighbours has been getting on your nerves during the past year, here is your chance to perfectly legally hit him with a big stick! Of course this would never be allowed in the UK where the Fun Police would never allow hundreds of people (and a few horses) charging at each other armed with swords and sticks. Sometimes there is even blood as the odd stick finds flesh, but usually it is harmless enough.
If the big battle wasn't enough to make Health and Safety officers go pale...along comes the Nic di Foc, or Night of Fire. If you have never experienced one of these try to get to the promenade at Santa Ponsa to see it this year as it is almost impossible to describe the atmosphere. It is not like anything else. People dressed as devils and demons dance and whirl through the crowd whilst holding burning tridents. Then there are the fireworks...not in the sky, but fired along the ground and sometimes into the crowd. Do not wear your favourite shirt unless you are happy for it to be covered in scorch marks afterwards.
There's lots of other stuff to enjoy during the fiesta, including live music, open air cinema on the beach and a medieval market. So Santa Ponsa is the place to be this September.
l will be keeping you up to date on this fiesta, and anything else that is going on here on the island with the weekend radio shows. Wherever you are on Mallorca, tune in on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10am tll 1pm to hear what's happening, interviews with local people and, of course, great music. Hear me on Radio Marratxi at 92.9FM on the dial, or listen on the web :englishradiomallorca.com |
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NAUTICAL BOOK REVIEWS - NEW ISSUES
RYA Day Skipper
Handbook - Motor
The new Day Skipper Handbook - Motor covers the elements of the course in simple illustrated steps. It is ideal as the practical guide to aid students on the course, or just as a stand-alone book to guide you through the practical elements of motor boating.
Chapters include: pilotage, navigation, boat work and boat handling.
RYA Sail Trim
Handbook (Out in October)
The RYA Sail Trim Handbook for Cruisers is an all-new title and is crammed with useful tips and pointers on one of the fundamentals of good seamanship: sail trim. The book focuses more on the needs of the cruising sailor as opposed to the out-and-out racer. After all, a well-trimmed cruising yacht will be better balanced, easier to handle, and
will sail more comfortably.
Chapters include: How Sails Work, Jibs & Genoas,
Spinnakers, Reefing, Sailing Upwind
Heavy Weather Sailing & Trade Wind Sailing.
RYA books from Rapid Transit Service
in Palma - Tel: 971 401 210
E.mail:
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