Can You Hear The Drums, Fernando?

That questionnaire from a couple of days ago. You do wonder, where it invites comments, quite what some people might choose to put about Puerto Pollensa. Doogy-doo aside, there is likely to be space found for how things have changed for the worse.

In Puerto Pollensa yesterday I got a feeling of been here, got the football replica t-shirt about a couple of conversations. One related the story of a Puerto P veteran of some 30 years who was bemoaning the fact that, and this was the nub of it, there were on the loose what looked like those who back in the UK would have their collars felt by plod. Not that plod would feel the collar in Puerto P as these "criminal types" would be without shirt and would doubtless be displaying love or hate or dragon or knife or whatever in the form of some body art. "Just like Alcúdia." No it is not, and save us from this snobbery; it is just like many places. And that is probably the main problem that the vets have with Puerto P; it has become or is becoming like other resorts.

Someone else was complaining about the entertainment from the Daina. It used to be relatively restrained, but now an audience-arousing Abba tribute can be heard across the bay, disturbing the gin and tonics of the waterworldists moored off-shore.

"Where are you all frommmmm?" "Eng-er-laaannndd."

"Can you hear the drums, Fernando?" "I can hardly miss them, old chum," would reply Fernando if he were not a Fernando. The Abba-isation of this frontline hotel was, you guessed it, "just like Alcúdia", though he was not being critical of Alcúdia, just pointing out that it was different. Except it isn't, if Puerto P can be "just like Alcúdia." Illogical, captain.

Puerto Pollensa has largely been spared the excesses of other resorts. It is not blighted by all-inclusive ghettoes; it does not have its strip or mile; it does not have karaoke after Delboy-televisual rows of bars, albeit that there is karaoke if you want it and Delboy did actually make his own intervention some years ago. It has retained a sense of decorum. But, and this I guess is the main beef of many, the special character of Puerto Pollensa, its understated and quiet demeanour, has been allowed to be altered. Nothing stays the same, but one is entitled to ask why more of an effort was not made to prevent the place slipping into the mass-resort pit of being much like other places. In truth, it still is not, but the essential Britishness of the resort was, at some point, likely to break out from just a Britishness of shire, manor and manners to one that reflects a more total Britain - one also of Corrie, footy and the boys' bevvy.

The more upmarket nature of Puerto Pollensa is being eroded, I am told. Clients of one operator who I shall not identify says that his clients are neither coming back to him nor to the resort. The reason? Because it's not like it was. Despite this, one is also entitled to ask why are vets of 30 years or so still returning. Puerto Pollensa may have changed, but it is still a place that many treat as a second home and that maintains an intangible feel that many would not swap for anywhere else.


He's back - don't cry!
And so one has to report that he's back. Yep, José is once again Bony-ing. He had been expected to take a rest for the whole summer, but you can't keep a good man down - and he is a good man. "Write on the internet," he insisted. So I am. And to celebrate the great return, everyone will get their first drink free on Friday and Saturday.


Samira - Puerto Alcúdia
There was a comment left for an old piece that mentioned Samira restaurant in Puerto Alcúdia. It was very complimentary and they were hoping to return. Sadly, it has closed.


QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Had it before, but what the ... "Viva La Vida", Coldplay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvgZkm1xWPE. Today's title - well, you've been given it.

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