Cyclists and Palma traffic laws

Cyclists in Palma are still none the wiser about which the city council continues to tinker with while the police mount a crackdown. Palma local police are closing down on cyclist that fail to comply with the traffic laws.  Fines of up to 120 euros are being handed out per infraction which includes listening to music with headphones, not having a bell, headlights of rear lights. Cyclist are complaining that the laws are not explained clearly enough. The moto “not knowing the law is not an excuse” is being taken to the extreme by the authorities when there is no precise information either on the Palma city council or the Local police website. One of the most common faults has been listening to music while cycling, one of he rules that fails to be mentioned in the council’s manifesto.  And if that could be considered common sense than laws pointing out that the use of a helmet when driving through the city is not necessary destroys that theory.
Bicycle users also seem to be developing a sense of injustice towards skateboarders and users of rollerblades who they feel present a greater hazard fir pedestrians but get away with it.
Violators can avoid the fines by enrolling in awareness courses that can be done at the Cuartel Son Fernando in Avenida Son Ferrando.  The course lasts around two hours and is available for cyclists with no privies offenses including car and motorbike. For more information, contact the Ajuntament de Palma website.
Palma de Mallorca
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Palma’s Congress Centre and Hotel up for sale

Palma City Council is going to vote in favour of a motion to put the controversial convention centre and hotel up for sale as separate properties. As a local newspaper commented  ” that’s a big piece of Mallorca real estate for sale ” The Palma city council has decide to try and sell off the convention centre and hotel in a bid to also off load the 70 million euro debt the uncompleted construction has run up. Work on the complex was halted over a year ago with the council unable to keep up with the payments and despite desperate attempts to interest local and international companies in the concession to manage the convention centre and adjacent five star hotel, the council has failed. According to the Council for Urban Development, Jesus Valls, another 12 months work is needed to comp,eye the convention centre and around 6 months to finish the hotel.
Palma de Mallorca

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Stolen tapestry returned after 34 years

Palma de Mallorca – a 16th century religious tapestry which police suspect was stolen by one of Europe’s most prolific art thieves from a cathedral in Spain in 1979 has been returned to the country after an odyssey that took it to five countries. Culture Minister, Jose Ignacio Wert and Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz, presented the wool and silk tapestry, depicting the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, at a Madrid news conference a day after it was handed over the Spanish officials from the US customs service. The US Homeland Security Investigations Unit seized the artifact last November from an unidentified Texas business that had bought it at auction three years ago for $369.000. The tapestry had been stolen in December 1979 from the Cathedral of Saint Vincent in Roda de Isabene in the Aragon region of northeastern Spain. The tapestry was one of several works of art that were stolen from the Cathedral which is located in the fortified town in the Pyrenees.
Palma de Mallorca

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Car Hire – the great rip off

Reproduced is a letter to a local newspaper complaining about their car hire experience in Mallorca. “My husband logged onto a car hire website and booked a car, the total cost was just over 140 UK Pounds and including 31 UK Pounds of insurance.
When we arrived a Palma airport we went to the car hire desk, The young lady got out our paperwork and then commenced telling us what we had to pay for. We did understand of course that we would have to pay for petrol but we were astounded when she told us it would be 115 euros. They don’t even have a car that takes that much petrol.
We were then told that we would have to pay a further 36 euros for me to drive and that the insurance with the car hire company was not good enough and that we would have to pay another 51 euros plus 36 euros more for late return of the car. That seems strange as we were picking the car up at midnight. Taking it all into account one week’s car hire would have cost us 141 UK Pounds plus a future 283 euros. I wonder how many other people have been caught like us. Needless to say we did not take the car, we took a taxi. Frankly I cannot understand why hire companies behave like this giving how difficult times are for people. “This isn’t the first time that tourist report being ripped off by car hire companies. Loads of complaints are received in this respect by the Mallorca estate agents from their clients. They compare deals in the Canaries and ther Mediterranean resorts.

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Moving in the right direction at last?

Palma tourism officials have announced they will be modifying the planning laws so that private investment projects can be fast tracked in a bid to get the local economy moving again.
For example, four new luxury hotels are going to be built after an agreement was reached with the government this week. The new law (which will be included in the plan reform the Playa de Palma) will provide legal coverage to all private investments planned for the winter of 2013/4, in a move set to be the largest investment in the island in over 30 years.
Palma Councillor for Tourism announced plans for construction of a five star hotel, two four stars and one with four stars plus – all in the Arenal area, south west Mallorca just to the east of Palma. Alvaro Gijon, Palma Councillor for Tourism, states “This new law will be in place later this month and will allow local businessmen and companies to invest. “This would never be possible with the old statute. ” it will also facilities renovation and improvement work on existing establishments. “We have a list of 15 hotels that want to change category and that would not have been possible before.
Is this moving towards what Mallorca estate agents First Mallorca is crying out for, to see service condos take the place of poor quality and dated hotels. There is such a demand and why is Mallorca so far behind other holiday destinations worldwide ?
Palma de Mallorca

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Spain debated bullfighting

Madrid – as the Spanish Parliament debated a proposed new law to declare bullfighting a cultural heritage, an Ipsos MORI public opinion poll commissioned by the Humane Society International reveals that the majority of Spaniards do not approve of public funds for bloodsports and three quarters of the population haven’t attended a bullfight in the last five years. Only 20 percent of Spanish people support bullfighting, according to poll results.

A legislative proposal supported by bullfighting enthusiast to protect and promote bullfighting nationwide is being debated by the Culture Committee before being voted on by the Senate and then the Congress. If passed, public money could be used to fund and promote this bloody spectacular in which bulls are tormented until death in a bullfighting ring.

Palma de Mallorca April 2013

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Mallorca’s Luxury hotels post an income of 314 million euros

The island’s luxury hotel sector brings in 314 million euros per year and generates 2,200 jobs according to the results of a study carried out by the Mallorca Hotel Federation which was presented yesterday. And based on that, the Federation wants to expand the full luxury market even further.

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Bells from Palma Cathedral going to Germany

In a few weeks, the dome of the steeple of Palma Cathedral will need to be dismounted. At almost 50 meters high, work will be performed to remove the bells. Five of them – named na Picarol, la Prima, la Martines, n’Antonia and n’Eloi – will be taken to the Lachenmeyer restoration workshop in Nordlinger in Germany. The other bells – na Barbara, la Mitya, la Nova (or na Piza) and the Tercia will be restored here in Mallorca.  From May until September, therefore, the city will be without the sounds that have governed life in Palma for centuries. Continue reading

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Open the Marivent Palace

There are growing calls for the Marivent royal palace in Cala Major to be opened to the public. Jason Moore, editor of the Majorca Daily Bulletin says, I can’t really understand why anyone could have any objections, Marivent is fantastic building and has beautiful gardens and some breathtaking views over the Bay of Palma. It is used about a month a year by the Spanish royal family and therefore for eleven months a year it is empty so it could become a major attraction for tourist and residents alike. Two summers ago I went on a guided tour of Buckingham Palace which is open to the publican August. It is a fantastic place to visit which I strongly recommend to all.  The money raised through tickets sales goes towards the palace upkeep. Continue reading

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Palma to hold major beer festival

A major beer festival will take place from April 26th until May 5th in Palma just by the Palma cathedral. A total of 70 different beers from across the globe will be served in special beer tents. Beer Palma, the Beer Party, opens in the old city walls below the Cathedral. Not only will there be beer but a series  of restaurants will also have stands so that you will be assured of some good food to accompany your drink. Running alongside the actual festival there will be a series  of exhibitions looking into the history of beer and how it is produced. There will be a specially dedicated area of Ses Voltes, below the Cathedral, where the exhibition will be held. Continue reading

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