Forgotten Town

What goes around, comes around. It was 8 September (“Finding Nothing But Warmth At Fig Tree Bay”) that I mentioned the fact that there has been talk of Puerto Alcúdia becoming a cruise stop. Well maybe a step has been taken in realising this, though one stresses the maybe. After many years of debate, the dosh is finally to be handed out to construct a new passenger terminal at the commercial port. Though the port is already of course used for passengers, it has primarily been a port for goods, but the terminal project - coming in at a tad under 16 million euros - will increase inter-island passenger movement as well as transport to the mainland ports of Barcelona and Valencia. So no talk of cruises as such. Forget that one then.

The port itself is now more accessible by foot since the extension of the promenade. Like Puerto Pollensa, therefore, Puerto Alcúdia has a functional unit at the end of its promenade: in Puerto Pollensa, it is the military area; in Puerto Alcúdia, the port. But here the similarities stop. Does anyone ever eulogise about the walk along the extended promenade in the way that many do about the pinewalk that leads to the Illa d’Or and then onward - as far as is permitted - towards the military base? No. Not that this extension is unattractive, it just doesn’t have anything much going for it. One might have felt that when it was completed, there would be people strolling along, but generally speaking they don’t. Despite the access, there is a sort of mental block that excludes going past Bodega d’es Port: a block that says ”oh, there isn’t much down there”, so people don’t go, which is a shame as there are restaurants along there well worth checking out. This bit of Puerto Alcúdia is the forgotten part, by visitors at any rate. To go to one of the restaurants along the road heading out towards Alcanada and the port is to be rendered somehow insecure; it is the reverse of the herd instinct or the security in numbers, a phenomenon one can witness elsewhere - the packed church square and promenade of Puerto Pollensa, for instance, and the relative quietness of other parts. Human nature - odd thing.


And a note about the charity day held outside the Little Britain supermarket for Victoria’s Animal Refuge (3 October: “Protection”). A success. Over 650 euros were raised. Thanks to Steve at Little Britain for mailing the report of the day, from which I quote Jim Murchie from the refuge: “This is a great help for the many abandoned dogs we have to deal with. We will use the money raised to waterproof our kennels and cages - all the more essential after the recent heavy rains and flash floods". Personal note: sorry, sorry, I just could not make it.


QUIZ
Yesterday - “Stormy Weather”. Today’s title - which group? Clue: they did a cover of The Isleys’ “Harvest For The World”.

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