Oh, oh, there’s another threat to the winter bar and restaurant business blowing in the wind or rather hanging in the air above bar and restaurant terraces. Euro MEPs are on the climate change trail, and they have stumbled across the patio heater on their rambles. They are expected to suggest to the European Commission that these space heaters are banned, thus – at a stroke – saving the planet.
Patio heaters are of course absurd. The notion of heating air is ridiculous. But for all that they are a completely nuts concept, they have become almost an essential for Mallorcan hostelries. Even if the terrace is shrouded in attractive plastic sheeting, a space heater, with its elongated, mushroom-topped neck, commands the floor space, pumping out some welcome heat. Inside the bar itself, they are not a bad idea either, as some bars just do not have heating. Like many houses that have freezing interiors in winter despite warmth outside, bars are similarly ill-equipped for the perishing internal conditions until the heat really gets its act together again come April or May. The space heater has been a positive boon in staving off frost-bite or chilblains if one tarries too long in a place of hospitality. As I did yesterday. Except there was no space heater. Several hours I spent and several hot chocolates were consumed, all to little effect in warding off the shivers. To make things just a bit cooler, the door was open much of the time to let the smoke out. Don’t for one moment think that there is a particularly stringent approach to smoking in bars here if they are of a certain size.
The hope is that, even with a command from Brussels, it will be ignored. The environment may suffer from the gases pumped out by space heaters, but my extremities also suffer.
And to revive an old theme of this blog. Here is the first Bar Of The Week for the new year. Space heaters there may not be, but Café del Món is an otherwise fine little bar, and it also happens to be the only one open in Playa de Muro apart from the rather dismal Dallas bar.
Where: C/. Juia, just around the corner from the chemists, Playa de Muro (it used to be Robin Hood).
Patio heaters are of course absurd. The notion of heating air is ridiculous. But for all that they are a completely nuts concept, they have become almost an essential for Mallorcan hostelries. Even if the terrace is shrouded in attractive plastic sheeting, a space heater, with its elongated, mushroom-topped neck, commands the floor space, pumping out some welcome heat. Inside the bar itself, they are not a bad idea either, as some bars just do not have heating. Like many houses that have freezing interiors in winter despite warmth outside, bars are similarly ill-equipped for the perishing internal conditions until the heat really gets its act together again come April or May. The space heater has been a positive boon in staving off frost-bite or chilblains if one tarries too long in a place of hospitality. As I did yesterday. Except there was no space heater. Several hours I spent and several hot chocolates were consumed, all to little effect in warding off the shivers. To make things just a bit cooler, the door was open much of the time to let the smoke out. Don’t for one moment think that there is a particularly stringent approach to smoking in bars here if they are of a certain size.
The hope is that, even with a command from Brussels, it will be ignored. The environment may suffer from the gases pumped out by space heaters, but my extremities also suffer.
And to revive an old theme of this blog. Here is the first Bar Of The Week for the new year. Space heaters there may not be, but Café del Món is an otherwise fine little bar, and it also happens to be the only one open in Playa de Muro apart from the rather dismal Dallas bar.
Where: C/. Juia, just around the corner from the chemists, Playa de Muro (it used to be Robin Hood).
What: Tapas and menu plus breakfasts and pasta specialities. Wi-Fi and sports TV.
When: Every day, normally from around 09:30 unless it was a particularly late night.
Who: Georgi and Martin (that's them above).
Why: Cheery local sort of place but well geared to an international market, and it is a welcome addition to Playa de Muro’s winter all-closed-up scene.
QUIZ
Yesterday – Talking Heads. Today’s title – it comes from an album title song by a very famous band.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Yesterday – Talking Heads. Today’s title – it comes from an album title song by a very famous band.
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
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