Time to get to work now as the visitors are arriving and we are in the middle of the Easter season. Soller has many who come here for the observances of Easter with the focus on the Parades of the Penitents. Parades happen all over Mallorca and are very important in Palma and Soller. Tradition, Church, and Charity sums up all the groups and good work is done, behind the scenes, by them all At Easter, the traditional robes and hoods are brought out and create the very different atmosphere of Easter in the Soller Valley.
Lamb is a dish of Easter and makes up the traditional Easter Sunday roast. The chopped lamb which stuffs the empanadas is appreciated by all who can get them. Pork empanadas are with us all year round, but the lamb ones make an appearance at Easter and sell out very quickly. Cornish Pasties and all the other favourites are all knocked out of the way for me by a traditional Soller Lamb pie. Give yourself an Easter treat and buy one when you see them!
In preparation for the returners at Easter the workforce has been busy tidying and finishing projects. The new playground installations at the Calatraves Playground have been unveiled and look great. The children have been very patient waiting for fun themes to explore. Many new babies in Town these days with the arrival of new families. Great to see this central Soller meeting place coming to life for them.
All the talk about reinstating a cycle lane on the main road has also happened this week. The lane has been used for years as an overflow car park. This is now finished and with all the new signs its very clear that this space is for bikes. Huge fines for those cars who dare to park on the road between the roundabouts of the Centre and L’horta.
The other main project shortly to be finished is the boulevard of the Gran Via. Half done last year, and the second part almost finished now. The cobbled road and wide pavements make this a delightful area. A link between this and the main Car Park in Town is next on the list, but I am sure that work won’t start before the end of the year.
On the Port of Soller seafront, the workers have a tricky job. They are trying to clear the sands and make them beautiful for the season. A recent storm brought in much debris and this week has churned up even more. As soon as they clean up, they must start all over again. I have lived here long enough to understand this, and I do feel sorry for the workers. There are many things, us humans can control but the effect of the weather is not one of them.
Loving the birdsong in Soller right now. Spring brings with it the scents of jasmine and orange blossom and the birds tweeting along. The dawn chorus is always a joy if you an early riser like me, but there are birds on the beach in the Port of Soller who serenade for most of the day. The ‘joy to be alive- chorus from our feathered friends is a feature of Easter in the Soller Valley.
Hot Cross Buns and Easter eggs were a big feature of my few days in London last week. Not so much here where the Lindt chocolate bunnies seem to have taken over. The fine chocolate makers in our local bakeries should not be ignored for their offerings of the season. I must admit to being addicted to the plain chocolate buttons which come in a jar from Agromart. They are my ‘must have’ favourites of the moment.
However, you spend Easter, I hope it is a happy time. My family have regular Easter friends who always visit, we are so looking forward to seeing them. I have one granddaughter already home from university and another who is spending her Easter with her basketball team in Ibiza. The other granddaughter would have come home for Easter, but the 900-pound fare quoted by Easyjet put her off. Happy Easter friends and thank you for reading our chatter from Soller…
