The night of 26 September will be "la Noche del Turismo". Yes, the night of tourism. For one night only. It'll be on the eve of World Tourism Day. One day only. They quite like celebrating World Tourism Day in Mallorca. One day only, albeit Alcudia has its own not-the-world tourist day this Thursday (it's a half day in fact).
At least a World Tourism Day at the end of September gives Cala Millor the opportunity to have its tourist fiesta week, a rather longer celebration of tourism than anywhere else indulges in. One day only normally. Oh well, so much for lengthening the tourist season, let's just reduce it to one day (and the preceding night).
This night of tourism is an innovation - yes, there is one - by the tourism ministry. It was being mentioned last week when minister Barceló was making one of his now regular proclamations about sustainability and saturation. Alongside him was the director of the Balearic Tourism Agency, Pere Muñoz, an old mate but also political sparring partner of Barceló's and about whom a certain degree of surprise was expressed when he was given the job. There was something about him having run the car park at Lluc Monastery.
We haven't heard a great deal from Pere since he was appointed in February when the previous incumbent, Miquel Àngel Roig, quit because he was offered something better. Recently, however, Pere has emerged, a brother-in-arms to the sustainable tourism minister. Ostensibly, the agency is the wing of the ministry devoted to promoting the Balearics. This it does by, among other things, flying off to Rutland in order to explain to the twitcher community how a whole load of crappy water ended up covering a vast part of one of the islands' principal birdlife locations, thus rendering it - if only temporarily - unsustainable. Otherwise, it hasn't yet been acquainted with the other part of the sustainable tourism minister's portfolio - innovation and research. We might have expected that another mate of Barceló's having been made director for this would have been able to marry innovation of, say, a social network variety to the promotion of the islands. As yet, nada, but oddly no one seems to be asking what this director is doing.
Pere, meanwhile, seems to have been hard at it developing promotion of an inward variety. Thus, the citizenry is being informed about sustainable tourism. On the principle that you state the word often enough, the public will go along with it, even if the public hasn't a clue what it means. Or rather, it gets to understand what the sustainable tourism minister wants sustainability to mean.
And now we have another type of inward promotion. The glittering night of stars that is to be the night of tourism is designed to cover a multitude of virtues. Here are the five categories of award: knowledge and research applied to tourism; the best social responsibility initiative; the best sustainable tourism initiative; tourism work, effort and professional dedication; the tourist "experience".
These are all to be in recognition of ways in which Balearic tourism and its tourism services are being improved within a framework of corporate social responsibility (both public and private), of innovation in creating new experiences, and of the sustainability of the tourism product in the Balearics. In a nutshell, the awards encapsulate Barceló's brief as minister. The night of tourism could equally be called the Biel night of tourism.
So, who might be among the runners and riders? Nominations close today, suggesting that we will shortly be informed, offering Biel (and Pere) a further opportunity to go public with the incessant sustainability (saturation) theme. Who, one wonders, are on the judging panel (have Podemos been consulted)? Perhaps they will be revealed as well, but whoever they are, one can possibly guess at the type of winner to eventually be announced and at the type of winner that most certainly won't be announced.
Of the latter, we can anticipate that innovators such as Airbnb won't be getting anywhere near an award let alone be invited. But among the winners? Might they, for instance, include Palma 365 or Calvia town hall? Palma 365 would be worthy. Calvia wouldn't be. Where else might get a look-in beyond the political expedience which decrees that Palma and Calvia head the lists? Menorca with its biosphere, roundly criticised for never having been effectively promoted? The Tramuntana, likewise criticised for promotional failure?
How about the regulatory councils for wine, oil and food products? All sustainable and all supposedly part of the wider concept of gastronomy that will extend the season. Gongs for sobrassada and ensaimadas maybe? The tourism agency seems incapable of seeing beyond a type of sausage and a pastry when it comes to gastronomy promotion, so quite possibly.
We are about to find out.
Showing posts with label Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Awards. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Nights Of Culture: Annual awards
They're having a night of culture in Alcúdia tomorrow. Cut along to the town's auditorium for 9pm, hand over 18 euros, and a cultural extravaganza will be yours to enjoy. And if you are inclined to go along, do be sure to take your Catalan cultural hat with you. This is the Obra Cultural Balear's Night of Culture, one at which the "Premis 31 de desembre" are to be handed out.
It is the time of year for awards to be made, for the great and good to be honoured, for speeches to be made, for photos to be taken. Awards here, awards there, even if, in the case of the OCB's 31 December prizes, they would appear to be being given 19 days too early. There again, on the night of 31 December there are other things to occupy the citizenry of Mallorca; not only New Year's Eve and munching on a dozen grapes but also the memory of 1229. Jaume I the Conqueror upset the New Year's celebrations all those years ago by putting the Muslim occupants to flight or to the sword.
The OCB prizes do have the merit of being named after the last day of the year. Awards should, generally speaking, reflect a year, as in the year gone by. Not all of them do. The Council of Mallorca, for example, has its awards in September. They are the Jaume II prizes, named after Jaume I's lad, and as such they reflect the seemingly eternal difference of opinion as to Mallorcan culture in its historical origins sense. On 12 September 1276, Jaume II was crowned King of Mallorca, a coronation which was also the occasion for issuing what was in effect a bill of rights for the Mallorcan people. Defenders of the true Mallorcan cultural faith, e.g. the OCB, want nothing to do with 12 September. Culture started on 31 December 1229, not 47 years later.
This cultural difference is, it might be said, reflected in the choice of award-winners. The winner of Spain's "Masterchef" 2014, Mallorca's Vicky Pulgarín, received a Jaume II in September. So also did the what's on youth publication, "Youthing". Which is not to say that earnest Mallorcan culture was not also honoured, but the Jaume IIs are a tad frivolous by comparison with a formality of Catalan virtuousness that typifies the 31 December awards. The names of these awards explain much: the Gabriel Alomar prize after the politician and poet who was associated with the Catalan modernist movement; Emili Darder, from the Republican mayor of Palma who was executed by the Nationalists in 1937; Josep Maria Llompart, who was a Catalan poet and essayist and a one-time president of the OCB. Among those who will be receiving an award will be Xïtxeros amb Empenta, a youth association that was founded in Manacor in 2008 and which has as its principal objectives linguistic and cultural recuperation as well as environmental conservation.
The OCB has been dishing out its awards since 1987, and it is interesting to note one or two previous award winners, such as the broadcaster IB3 in 2009. Given all the fuss over linguistic interference by the current government at IB3, one would doubt that it would now be up for an award. Last year, the Gabriel Alomar prize went to the Assemblea de Docents, the teachers' association right to the fore of the anti-trilingual teaching furore, and now a union in its own right. Politics and culture are never too far apart; indeed you could argue that they are one and the same.
Though 27 years old, the OCB awards are not the island's oldest. These are said to be the prizes from the Cope Mallorca radio broadcaster. The 35th edition took place at the end of last month. The Bishop of Mallorca was among the glittering array of attendees. One winner was Pollensa's Olympic canoeist, Sete Benavides; another was Juan José Hidalgo, president of Air Europa and Globalia. The Onda Cero radio station has taken over 30 years to follow Cope's lead, but at its fourth annual awards ceremony, a couple of weeks before Cope's, Rafa Nadal was one of those who was honoured. President Bauzá and Palma's mayor Mateo Isern were both at the Onda event, no doubt giving each other a wide berth, but one would imagine that neither will be in attendance in Alcúdia for the OCB bash.
Bauzá will definitely be at Son Amar on 20 December, as the Partido Popular's own awards - the Larus - will be up for grabs. Will Isern receive one? Doubtful. Will he even go? Whoever does win an award, Bauzá will hope that he doesn't receive the same thinly veiled broadside he got from the PP's ex-president, Gabriel Cañellas, last year, something of which, given allusions to culture regained, even the OCB might have approved.
It is the time of year for awards to be made, for the great and good to be honoured, for speeches to be made, for photos to be taken. Awards here, awards there, even if, in the case of the OCB's 31 December prizes, they would appear to be being given 19 days too early. There again, on the night of 31 December there are other things to occupy the citizenry of Mallorca; not only New Year's Eve and munching on a dozen grapes but also the memory of 1229. Jaume I the Conqueror upset the New Year's celebrations all those years ago by putting the Muslim occupants to flight or to the sword.
The OCB prizes do have the merit of being named after the last day of the year. Awards should, generally speaking, reflect a year, as in the year gone by. Not all of them do. The Council of Mallorca, for example, has its awards in September. They are the Jaume II prizes, named after Jaume I's lad, and as such they reflect the seemingly eternal difference of opinion as to Mallorcan culture in its historical origins sense. On 12 September 1276, Jaume II was crowned King of Mallorca, a coronation which was also the occasion for issuing what was in effect a bill of rights for the Mallorcan people. Defenders of the true Mallorcan cultural faith, e.g. the OCB, want nothing to do with 12 September. Culture started on 31 December 1229, not 47 years later.
This cultural difference is, it might be said, reflected in the choice of award-winners. The winner of Spain's "Masterchef" 2014, Mallorca's Vicky Pulgarín, received a Jaume II in September. So also did the what's on youth publication, "Youthing". Which is not to say that earnest Mallorcan culture was not also honoured, but the Jaume IIs are a tad frivolous by comparison with a formality of Catalan virtuousness that typifies the 31 December awards. The names of these awards explain much: the Gabriel Alomar prize after the politician and poet who was associated with the Catalan modernist movement; Emili Darder, from the Republican mayor of Palma who was executed by the Nationalists in 1937; Josep Maria Llompart, who was a Catalan poet and essayist and a one-time president of the OCB. Among those who will be receiving an award will be Xïtxeros amb Empenta, a youth association that was founded in Manacor in 2008 and which has as its principal objectives linguistic and cultural recuperation as well as environmental conservation.
The OCB has been dishing out its awards since 1987, and it is interesting to note one or two previous award winners, such as the broadcaster IB3 in 2009. Given all the fuss over linguistic interference by the current government at IB3, one would doubt that it would now be up for an award. Last year, the Gabriel Alomar prize went to the Assemblea de Docents, the teachers' association right to the fore of the anti-trilingual teaching furore, and now a union in its own right. Politics and culture are never too far apart; indeed you could argue that they are one and the same.
Though 27 years old, the OCB awards are not the island's oldest. These are said to be the prizes from the Cope Mallorca radio broadcaster. The 35th edition took place at the end of last month. The Bishop of Mallorca was among the glittering array of attendees. One winner was Pollensa's Olympic canoeist, Sete Benavides; another was Juan José Hidalgo, president of Air Europa and Globalia. The Onda Cero radio station has taken over 30 years to follow Cope's lead, but at its fourth annual awards ceremony, a couple of weeks before Cope's, Rafa Nadal was one of those who was honoured. President Bauzá and Palma's mayor Mateo Isern were both at the Onda event, no doubt giving each other a wide berth, but one would imagine that neither will be in attendance in Alcúdia for the OCB bash.
Bauzá will definitely be at Son Amar on 20 December, as the Partido Popular's own awards - the Larus - will be up for grabs. Will Isern receive one? Doubtful. Will he even go? Whoever does win an award, Bauzá will hope that he doesn't receive the same thinly veiled broadside he got from the PP's ex-president, Gabriel Cañellas, last year, something of which, given allusions to culture regained, even the OCB might have approved.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
MALLORCA TODAY - World Tourism Day awards for Alcúdia businesses
The regional government celebrated World Tourism Day yesterday by giving awards to Balearics tourist businesses which have been recognised for their environmental efforts and responsibility. Two of these are Alcúdia businesses, namely Golf Alcanada and the Club Pollentia Resort.
See more: Diario de Mallorca
See more: Diario de Mallorca
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Culture Nights, Culture Years: The OCB
It may not have been 31 December on Friday, but this didn't stop there being an awards ceremony in honour of 31 December. And why would there be an awards ceremony to honour this date? Because 31 December, unofficially, is Mallorca day (note the lower-case "d" as a result of it being unofficial).
As anyone with a smattering of Mallorcan history can tell you, 31 December was the day in 1229 when King Jaume I invaded (didn't re-conquer; invaded and then occupied). The Jaume invasion introduced Catalan to the island of course, and the rest has been history; one very complicated history ever since.
733 years after Jaume invaded, on 31 December 1962, an organisation was formed. Oddly perhaps, given the times they lived in then, this was the Obra Cultural Balear, arch-defenders in Mallorca of all things Catalan. It is the OCB which was dishing out the awards on Friday. It does so every year, but this, being its 50th anniversary, meant there was more to make a song and dance about (a dance that was probably in good, traditional Mallorcan "ball de bot" style).
In fact, the 50th anniversary has been given special meaning, as 2012 has been a very good year for the OCB. Because there has been so much anti-Catalan stuff flying around, it has been able to assume new purpose, kicking up a fuss left, right and centre (mainly left though), the devil of the Partido Popular attempting to play havoc with the demons of tradition and the language and culture of the island.
For its ceremony, the OCB chose Manacor. And why Manacor? Ostensibly, because 2012 is also the 150th anniversary of the birth of a famous son of the town, Antoni Maria Alcover, man of words and ideas, man of story-telling (mostly in Catalan). The choice of Manacor was fortuitous, however, as the town is the centre of opposition to the PP that has come from within the PP, or rather from those now no longer members of the PP, as they have been expelled. And they include Manacor's mayor, Antoni Pastor.
The ceremony, also known as the night of culture, was, as the OCB spelled out, an occasion that demonstrated a "clamour for the rights and linguistic identities of Mallorcans". On 6 January, the whole thing will be broadcast by Catalonia Television, thus extending fraternal Catalan cultural greetings across the water to the mainland and reinforcing, the OCB would believe, as it believes also in the rights of the mythical Catalan Lands, the fraternity of Catalan culture. The gala was offered to the Mallorcan channel IB3, but it seems that the offer was turned down. From what I understand, groups like the OCB and its environmental chums, GOB, are pretty much verboten by IB3 (all to do with impartial editorial direction, determined by a PP plant).
But what of this grand gala, this night of culture? Who got the awards? Well, if I were to reel them off, you wouldn't have a clue who I was referring to, and to be honest, I hadn't heard of most of them myself. One whose name is familiar, and is familiar to this blog, was Francesc Vicens. You might recall that he is the musicologist who has written, among other things, a book about pop music in Mallorca. The book's title is "Paradise of Love", and I wrote about this recently (http://alcudiapollensa.blogspot.com.es/2012/09/los-kinks-mallorca-and-sixties-pop.html).
As for the others, there were groups who defend Catalan in education, one of which helped to organise a day of protest recently, an actor called Antoni Gomila (from Manacor) who referred to the theatre as being the "backbone" for the expression and consolidation of Catalan language and culture, and a band from Valencia called Obrint Pas that mixes punk, ska and rock, all with a clear Catalan flavour.
So, there you are. What an evening of culture it must have been. And onlooking was Pastor, there with other former PP members of the town hall who await any further childish reprisals from the PP for having had the temerity to disagree with the party line. The auditorium in Manacor was packed. Whether one can read much into the attendance is hard to say, but the night of culture, it could be argued, demonstrates the serious divisions in Mallorcan society, ones created by the assault on Catalan. But how serious really are they? It suits the OCB to emphasise them, but then the OCB has its belief in the Catalan Lands and so therefore, and ultimately, some sort of independent Greater Catalonia. This is not something that has wide support in Mallorca. Indeed, it has very little popular support, and among politicians formerly of the "popular" party, I very much doubt that Pastor supports the idea either.
Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.
As anyone with a smattering of Mallorcan history can tell you, 31 December was the day in 1229 when King Jaume I invaded (didn't re-conquer; invaded and then occupied). The Jaume invasion introduced Catalan to the island of course, and the rest has been history; one very complicated history ever since.
733 years after Jaume invaded, on 31 December 1962, an organisation was formed. Oddly perhaps, given the times they lived in then, this was the Obra Cultural Balear, arch-defenders in Mallorca of all things Catalan. It is the OCB which was dishing out the awards on Friday. It does so every year, but this, being its 50th anniversary, meant there was more to make a song and dance about (a dance that was probably in good, traditional Mallorcan "ball de bot" style).
In fact, the 50th anniversary has been given special meaning, as 2012 has been a very good year for the OCB. Because there has been so much anti-Catalan stuff flying around, it has been able to assume new purpose, kicking up a fuss left, right and centre (mainly left though), the devil of the Partido Popular attempting to play havoc with the demons of tradition and the language and culture of the island.
For its ceremony, the OCB chose Manacor. And why Manacor? Ostensibly, because 2012 is also the 150th anniversary of the birth of a famous son of the town, Antoni Maria Alcover, man of words and ideas, man of story-telling (mostly in Catalan). The choice of Manacor was fortuitous, however, as the town is the centre of opposition to the PP that has come from within the PP, or rather from those now no longer members of the PP, as they have been expelled. And they include Manacor's mayor, Antoni Pastor.
The ceremony, also known as the night of culture, was, as the OCB spelled out, an occasion that demonstrated a "clamour for the rights and linguistic identities of Mallorcans". On 6 January, the whole thing will be broadcast by Catalonia Television, thus extending fraternal Catalan cultural greetings across the water to the mainland and reinforcing, the OCB would believe, as it believes also in the rights of the mythical Catalan Lands, the fraternity of Catalan culture. The gala was offered to the Mallorcan channel IB3, but it seems that the offer was turned down. From what I understand, groups like the OCB and its environmental chums, GOB, are pretty much verboten by IB3 (all to do with impartial editorial direction, determined by a PP plant).
But what of this grand gala, this night of culture? Who got the awards? Well, if I were to reel them off, you wouldn't have a clue who I was referring to, and to be honest, I hadn't heard of most of them myself. One whose name is familiar, and is familiar to this blog, was Francesc Vicens. You might recall that he is the musicologist who has written, among other things, a book about pop music in Mallorca. The book's title is "Paradise of Love", and I wrote about this recently (http://alcudiapollensa.blogspot.com.es/2012/09/los-kinks-mallorca-and-sixties-pop.html).
As for the others, there were groups who defend Catalan in education, one of which helped to organise a day of protest recently, an actor called Antoni Gomila (from Manacor) who referred to the theatre as being the "backbone" for the expression and consolidation of Catalan language and culture, and a band from Valencia called Obrint Pas that mixes punk, ska and rock, all with a clear Catalan flavour.
So, there you are. What an evening of culture it must have been. And onlooking was Pastor, there with other former PP members of the town hall who await any further childish reprisals from the PP for having had the temerity to disagree with the party line. The auditorium in Manacor was packed. Whether one can read much into the attendance is hard to say, but the night of culture, it could be argued, demonstrates the serious divisions in Mallorcan society, ones created by the assault on Catalan. But how serious really are they? It suits the OCB to emphasise them, but then the OCB has its belief in the Catalan Lands and so therefore, and ultimately, some sort of independent Greater Catalonia. This is not something that has wide support in Mallorca. Indeed, it has very little popular support, and among politicians formerly of the "popular" party, I very much doubt that Pastor supports the idea either.
Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.
Friday, December 07, 2012
I'd Like To Thank ...
You know when the year is drawing to a close. It's the time when gongs are handed out and award-winners are obliged to make embarrassing speeches. Soon, in just over a week's time, we will probably be required to recognise that it was Mallorca what won it for Wiggo, or some such rot. If the Bradmeister wins Sports Personality, we'll never hear the end of it.
Rather lower down the list of awards ceremonies in terms of awareness among the local British community has been that of the Fomento del Turismo (otherwise known, if somewhat misleadingly nowadays and in English at any rate, as the Mallorca Tourist Board). It handed out its annual gongs on Monday evening. The Fomento was lucky enough to have been graced with the presence of the Balearics dear leader at its yearly thrash. President Bauzá went, he spoke and he told the audience that the annual promotional plan for tourism (there is one) will be unveiled on 17 December, the day after Wiggo's anticipated coronation by BBC licence-payers. Maybe we can also anticipate Wiggo being part of the annual plan.
Whatever the regional government has planned for its plan, we already know one thing. It will be doing more with less. Bauzá said so on Monday evening, thus reinforcing the message that has been forthcoming from tourism minister Delgado in those rare moments when he has been on-message and not on a hunting trip. Doing more with less does of course mean that there isn't any money. But I'm not about to criticise. I have said before that less money should exercise minds to be more creative.
The Fomento's president, Eduardo Gamero, spoke about tourism competitiveness being improved thanks to provisions within the new tourism law and also about what the Fomento does, highlighting in particular the work of the International Press Centre, which fully deserves having its work highlighted. The Fomento - and an organisation that is over a hundred years old really should be looked after rather better when in its dotage - is unfortunately strapped for cash and now reliant on its members for financial support. Whether the government has in fact paid the Fomento everything it owes it I couldn't say, but Sr. Gamero might well have reminded the dear leader were there any outstanding invoices buried under a pile of other demands on the desk of the governmental purchase ledger clerk.
Still, it does always help to keep in with those in high governmental places, and the Fomento went one step higher than regional government in doling out the 2012 awards. Recipient of the gold plaque was Turespaña, the national tourism promotion agency, and there to receive the award was none other than the national tourism secretary of state and the president of Turespaña, Mallorca's very own property expert, Isabel Borrego. Perhaps the plaque was handed over with a note asking Sra. Borrego to have a word with Bauzá about the invoices.
Turespaña joins an illustrious list of award winners over the past few years and a list of non-award winners, the most illustrious of these being our good friends GOB, the environmental pressure group. It was up for a gong in 2007, until someone suggested that GOB had not demonstrated that it actually supported tourism. But that was in 2007. We now know of course that GOB does support tourism. Eco tourism. Which means groups of no more than twenty ramblers at a time schlepping across the Tramuntana, conversing in Catalan and taking refuge in dry stone shelters which are self-sufficient in organic vegetables. The good news for the ramblers is that when they get lost or stuck, there is always the Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue Unit to come to their aid; it won a Fomento award in 2011.
Other previous winners have included motorcycle world champion Jorge Lorenzo (gold medal in 2010), an award which might suggest that Wiggo has a chance to add a Fomento medal to his trophy cabinet, the Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation in Alcúdia (silver plaque in 2008) and the Vi Primitiu, the wine association based in Pollensa, which got a diploma in 2008.
And given that there has also been the odd hack who has received an award, without sounding slightly presumptuous, I would like to nominate myself for one next year. I'm not bothered about a plaque or a medal or even a diploma. I'll settle for the cash, so long as I know the invoice will get paid. With this in mind, I'd like to thank ... .
Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.
Rather lower down the list of awards ceremonies in terms of awareness among the local British community has been that of the Fomento del Turismo (otherwise known, if somewhat misleadingly nowadays and in English at any rate, as the Mallorca Tourist Board). It handed out its annual gongs on Monday evening. The Fomento was lucky enough to have been graced with the presence of the Balearics dear leader at its yearly thrash. President Bauzá went, he spoke and he told the audience that the annual promotional plan for tourism (there is one) will be unveiled on 17 December, the day after Wiggo's anticipated coronation by BBC licence-payers. Maybe we can also anticipate Wiggo being part of the annual plan.
Whatever the regional government has planned for its plan, we already know one thing. It will be doing more with less. Bauzá said so on Monday evening, thus reinforcing the message that has been forthcoming from tourism minister Delgado in those rare moments when he has been on-message and not on a hunting trip. Doing more with less does of course mean that there isn't any money. But I'm not about to criticise. I have said before that less money should exercise minds to be more creative.
The Fomento's president, Eduardo Gamero, spoke about tourism competitiveness being improved thanks to provisions within the new tourism law and also about what the Fomento does, highlighting in particular the work of the International Press Centre, which fully deserves having its work highlighted. The Fomento - and an organisation that is over a hundred years old really should be looked after rather better when in its dotage - is unfortunately strapped for cash and now reliant on its members for financial support. Whether the government has in fact paid the Fomento everything it owes it I couldn't say, but Sr. Gamero might well have reminded the dear leader were there any outstanding invoices buried under a pile of other demands on the desk of the governmental purchase ledger clerk.
Still, it does always help to keep in with those in high governmental places, and the Fomento went one step higher than regional government in doling out the 2012 awards. Recipient of the gold plaque was Turespaña, the national tourism promotion agency, and there to receive the award was none other than the national tourism secretary of state and the president of Turespaña, Mallorca's very own property expert, Isabel Borrego. Perhaps the plaque was handed over with a note asking Sra. Borrego to have a word with Bauzá about the invoices.
Turespaña joins an illustrious list of award winners over the past few years and a list of non-award winners, the most illustrious of these being our good friends GOB, the environmental pressure group. It was up for a gong in 2007, until someone suggested that GOB had not demonstrated that it actually supported tourism. But that was in 2007. We now know of course that GOB does support tourism. Eco tourism. Which means groups of no more than twenty ramblers at a time schlepping across the Tramuntana, conversing in Catalan and taking refuge in dry stone shelters which are self-sufficient in organic vegetables. The good news for the ramblers is that when they get lost or stuck, there is always the Guardia Civil Mountain Rescue Unit to come to their aid; it won a Fomento award in 2011.
Other previous winners have included motorcycle world champion Jorge Lorenzo (gold medal in 2010), an award which might suggest that Wiggo has a chance to add a Fomento medal to his trophy cabinet, the Yannick and Ben Jakober Foundation in Alcúdia (silver plaque in 2008) and the Vi Primitiu, the wine association based in Pollensa, which got a diploma in 2008.
And given that there has also been the odd hack who has received an award, without sounding slightly presumptuous, I would like to nominate myself for one next year. I'm not bothered about a plaque or a medal or even a diploma. I'll settle for the cash, so long as I know the invoice will get paid. With this in mind, I'd like to thank ... .
Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Two Princes
In the current "Talk Of The North", there is mention of the death of Reinhard Mohn. Who he? Mohn was the former president of the German Bertelsmann media group. He was also fabulously wealthy. He owned a home in Alcúdia and had close links with the town, founding the library of Can Torró and being honoured by being named an "adoptive son" of the town. Rather more grandly - at national level - he was awarded a Principe de Asturias prize (for communications and humanities).
By coincidence, the 2009 event is currently taking place, as always in the city of Oviedo in the principality of Asturias in north-west Spain. The actual awards are to be handed out tomorrow evening.
Principe de Asturias is the title bestowed on the first-in-line male heir to the Spanish throne. The title dates back to the fourteenth century. Currently, this is Crown-Prince Felipe. His father, the current king, Juan-Carlos, was previously the Principe. It is akin to Charles being Prince of Wales. Rather like Charles, and his Prince's Trust, the Principe de Asturias awards have a charitable status - there is a foundation that oversees them. It also gives the heir to the throne something of importance to do, and the awards have become not insignificant in terms of international recognition and prestige.
One might have the impression that the Spanish, all sun, beach and sangria, don't stand too much on ceremony. Well they do when it comes to many aspects of life, including awards ceremonies. The Principe de Asturias prize-giving is, ostensibly, quite a serious do, but the Spanish royals have the knack of introducing light-heartedness into even more solemn occasions. I recall the time when the king and queen embraced and kissed Spanish gold-medal winners at an Olympics event. You wouldn't catch Elizabeth and Philip getting up to that sort of carry-on. But it is this that does make the Spanish royals rather endearing. and the Principe de Asturias ceremony, though formal, does manage to introduce moments of humour. It is all rather splendid.
There are various categories of award, and past winners, an eclectic bunch to say the least, have included the likes of Woody Allen, Bob Dylan, Google, Yasser Arafat, Mary Robinson, Sebastian Coe, Stephen Hawking and J.K. Rowling. This year, there are prizes for, among others, the architect Norman Foster, David Attenborough and two men who, it might be said, have shaped our modern lives more than most - Martin Cooper and Raymond Tomlinson. And they are? Respectively, it was they who - more or less - gave us mobile phones and email. So, it's they - these two princes of technology and the Principe award - who we have to blame.
More climate change and mosquitoes
Following the interview with the chap from IMEDEA (17 October: High In The Sky), the "Diario" has also been talking with the professor of zoology at the university in Palma. In answer to a question as to whether climate change may bring disease-imparting insects, he says that it could well do. The main immediate threat might be the appearance of the tiger mosquito - it has yet to be encountered in the Balearics - which is more aggressive than the current lot and can even bring with it the transmission of diseases such as dengue, which isn't a particularly reassuring prospect. Perhaps some scientists could turn their attention to the matter and get themselves a Principe de Asturias award in the process.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Pete Seeger, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN3rN59GlWw. Today's title - the band with the lead singer who looked like Alexei Lalas, circa the World Cup 1994 (or maybe it was the other way round).
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
By coincidence, the 2009 event is currently taking place, as always in the city of Oviedo in the principality of Asturias in north-west Spain. The actual awards are to be handed out tomorrow evening.
Principe de Asturias is the title bestowed on the first-in-line male heir to the Spanish throne. The title dates back to the fourteenth century. Currently, this is Crown-Prince Felipe. His father, the current king, Juan-Carlos, was previously the Principe. It is akin to Charles being Prince of Wales. Rather like Charles, and his Prince's Trust, the Principe de Asturias awards have a charitable status - there is a foundation that oversees them. It also gives the heir to the throne something of importance to do, and the awards have become not insignificant in terms of international recognition and prestige.
One might have the impression that the Spanish, all sun, beach and sangria, don't stand too much on ceremony. Well they do when it comes to many aspects of life, including awards ceremonies. The Principe de Asturias prize-giving is, ostensibly, quite a serious do, but the Spanish royals have the knack of introducing light-heartedness into even more solemn occasions. I recall the time when the king and queen embraced and kissed Spanish gold-medal winners at an Olympics event. You wouldn't catch Elizabeth and Philip getting up to that sort of carry-on. But it is this that does make the Spanish royals rather endearing. and the Principe de Asturias ceremony, though formal, does manage to introduce moments of humour. It is all rather splendid.
There are various categories of award, and past winners, an eclectic bunch to say the least, have included the likes of Woody Allen, Bob Dylan, Google, Yasser Arafat, Mary Robinson, Sebastian Coe, Stephen Hawking and J.K. Rowling. This year, there are prizes for, among others, the architect Norman Foster, David Attenborough and two men who, it might be said, have shaped our modern lives more than most - Martin Cooper and Raymond Tomlinson. And they are? Respectively, it was they who - more or less - gave us mobile phones and email. So, it's they - these two princes of technology and the Principe award - who we have to blame.
More climate change and mosquitoes
Following the interview with the chap from IMEDEA (17 October: High In The Sky), the "Diario" has also been talking with the professor of zoology at the university in Palma. In answer to a question as to whether climate change may bring disease-imparting insects, he says that it could well do. The main immediate threat might be the appearance of the tiger mosquito - it has yet to be encountered in the Balearics - which is more aggressive than the current lot and can even bring with it the transmission of diseases such as dengue, which isn't a particularly reassuring prospect. Perhaps some scientists could turn their attention to the matter and get themselves a Principe de Asturias award in the process.
QUIZ
Yesterday's title - Pete Seeger, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN3rN59GlWw. Today's title - the band with the lead singer who looked like Alexei Lalas, circa the World Cup 1994 (or maybe it was the other way round).
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Awards For 2007 / Happy New Year
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Awards 2007
The great and good gathered to hear last year’s winners announced by Russell Brand/Graham Norton/Jonathan Ross (choose according to which one you can stomach most – difficult).
First up, the sensible ones:
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Bar Of The Year: JK’s, Puerto Pollensa.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Restaurant Of The Year: Es Turó in Santa Margalida.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Business Of The Year: No Frills Excursions.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Person Of The Year: José, Café Bony, Puerto Pollensa.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com New Bar Of The Year: La Birreria in Pollensa, Vamps, Puerto Alcúdia.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com New Restaurant Of The Year: Sa Caseta, Alcúdia, Sal i Oli, Puerto Pollensa.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Most Popular Bars Of The Year (special award in association with www.thealcudiaguide.com): Festas and Foxes Arms, Puerto Alcúdia.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Heart In The Right Place Award goes to Little Britain supermarket for its charitable stuff and service above and beyond …
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Song Of The Year: Laura Veirs, “To The Country”.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Album Of The Year: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”.
Now, the special sponsored awards:
The Civil Engineering Couldn’t Organise A Piss-Up In A Brewery Award: joint winners, the designers of the changes to the Carretera Arta in Puerto Alcúdia (too many references to list) and of the new Palma metro which had to be closed soon after it opened because of flooding, and remains closed (22 August for instance.)
The Daily Bulletin Historical Inaccuracy Award (Columbus class) this year goes to “Euro Weekly” for its botching up the sequence of Columbus’s voyages to the Americas (getting it wrong in other words). And a supplementary award for geographical inaccuracy also to “EW” for suggesting that the Dominican Republic was/is an island separate to Hispaniola. (11 October.)
The Dale Carnegie How To Win Friends And Influence People Award For Lousy PR is entrusted to the Juaneda group for its poor communications and mixed messages in respect of the closure of the Alcúdia hospital. (5 December for instance.)
The Glasgow Ice-Cream Wars Award goes to the rival sunbed-and-sun-lounger concessionaires on Playa de Muro beach. (15 July, 20 September.)
The Jeremy Clarkson Environmental Bore Of The Year Award is granted to GOB, the environmental pressure group, for banging on and on and on about the proposed golf course on the Son Bosc finca in Muro. Get those diggers out! (7 December for instance.)
The Jimmy Savile Award For Governmental Initiatives goes to the new Balearic administration which announced that its period in office would be “The Age of the Train” (among other things, an extension of the line as far as Alcúdia is planned.) (18 July.)
The Leapy Lee Award For Self-Publicising One’s Own True Self goes to … Leapy Lee for bringing to the attention of the world Alexei Sayle’s hatchet-job on him, which would otherwise have gone unnoticed and forgotten. (17 July.)
The Ted Dexter Award For Getting Sportspeople’s Names Wrong is the prize for Riki Lash who referred to Tommy Dority (sic) and Joe Royal (sic) – in the same article. (Ted Dexter once called the fast bowler Devon Malcolm, Malcolm Devon; Dexter was chairman of the England cricket-team selectors at the time. The Lashmeister meant Tommy Docherty and Joe Royle; at least one assumes so.) (15 March.)
THE SENSIBLE AWARDS: A NOTE
These awards are to an extent, but not exclusively, personal. If I had never heard any good recommendations or comments regarding the award-winners, they would never have been chosen. In my work with the websites and with the local guides, I hear all sorts of remarks, and these I duly take on board. It is of course difficult to choose one place over another (especially when so many, but not all, are clients), but this blog works according to different criteria than the websites or guides; it is, ultimately, personal, but does not seek to favour one establishment over another. The awards are as much a point of entertainment and starting-point for information and debate as anything else.
This all said, I’d like to go into a bit of detail about the award-winners.
JKs: Best Bar. What gives JKs this accolade is partly the fact that it is open all year, but this is not all. Jane and Kevin have worked hard at creating a bar with a multiplicity of offers. It is family, it is drinkers, it is sports, it is food. It gets best bar as it does so much so well.
Es Turó: Best Restaurant. This was really the best find of last year. It was working on new business in Can Picafort that brought it onto my radar. Though living not that far from the restaurant, I was unaware of it … until going there and trying it. The food is good, not outstanding, but good. It is the atmosphere and the sheer magnificence of the setting that do it.
No Frills Excursions: Best Business. If there were one business out of all in the northern zone that would get this accolade (including bars, restaurants and others), it would be No Frills. I know of no other business that gets the level of commendation that Toni and Seamus do.
José, Bony: Person of the year. A jokey entry perhaps, but José is a heck of a character. Café Bony is not just José, but his personality defines the place, and that personality is one that attracts people back year after year.
La Birreria and Vamps: Best New Bars. Bars come and go. What defines both these bars is their innovation. This is increasingly important, and both have carved out strong reputations as a consequence. They are very different: La Birreria has focused on a pub atmosphere with a vast range of beers and live music, Vamps has focused on adult-style entertainment also with live music.
Sa Caseta and Sal i Oli: Best New Restaurants. Once again, new restaurants come and go. Why these two very different places? Sa Caseta is a converted old town house in Alcúdia with a terrific and economical range of pizzas and Italian food, Sal i Oli is an unremarkable looking place by contrast but, boy, is the food good. Caseta has some roots in the excellent Little Italy in Puerto Pollensa and Sal in the equally excellent L’Almirant also in Puerto Pollensa.
Festas and Foxes Arms: Most Popular Bars. These are special awards as they are based only on recommendations sent to www.thealcudiaguide.com. Both share one thing, they are not that big, but they also share great reputations in their differing ways (see all the comments for both under Bars Alcúdia on www.thealcudiaguide.com).
Little Britain: Heart in the Right Place. Another special award. Not only is this an excellent small British supermarket, but also Steve and Urbano offer charitable assistance and offer a personal service that is hard to beat, and it is over and above what one might expect, things I have commented on in the blog.
So there you are. These are some short explanations. In each category, there are many other worthies. Tell me about them.
QUIZ
Last time – it was of course Slade. No quiz today. Normal-ish service starts up again tomorrow, rather like Network Rail – possibly.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!!
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
The great and good gathered to hear last year’s winners announced by Russell Brand/Graham Norton/Jonathan Ross (choose according to which one you can stomach most – difficult).
First up, the sensible ones:
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Bar Of The Year: JK’s, Puerto Pollensa.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Restaurant Of The Year: Es Turó in Santa Margalida.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Business Of The Year: No Frills Excursions.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Person Of The Year: José, Café Bony, Puerto Pollensa.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com New Bar Of The Year: La Birreria in Pollensa, Vamps, Puerto Alcúdia.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com New Restaurant Of The Year: Sa Caseta, Alcúdia, Sal i Oli, Puerto Pollensa.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Most Popular Bars Of The Year (special award in association with www.thealcudiaguide.com): Festas and Foxes Arms, Puerto Alcúdia.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Heart In The Right Place Award goes to Little Britain supermarket for its charitable stuff and service above and beyond …
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Song Of The Year: Laura Veirs, “To The Country”.
The AlcudiaPollensa.Blogspot.com Album Of The Year: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, “Raising Sand”.
Now, the special sponsored awards:
The Civil Engineering Couldn’t Organise A Piss-Up In A Brewery Award: joint winners, the designers of the changes to the Carretera Arta in Puerto Alcúdia (too many references to list) and of the new Palma metro which had to be closed soon after it opened because of flooding, and remains closed (22 August for instance.)
The Daily Bulletin Historical Inaccuracy Award (Columbus class) this year goes to “Euro Weekly” for its botching up the sequence of Columbus’s voyages to the Americas (getting it wrong in other words). And a supplementary award for geographical inaccuracy also to “EW” for suggesting that the Dominican Republic was/is an island separate to Hispaniola. (11 October.)
The Dale Carnegie How To Win Friends And Influence People Award For Lousy PR is entrusted to the Juaneda group for its poor communications and mixed messages in respect of the closure of the Alcúdia hospital. (5 December for instance.)
The Glasgow Ice-Cream Wars Award goes to the rival sunbed-and-sun-lounger concessionaires on Playa de Muro beach. (15 July, 20 September.)
The Jeremy Clarkson Environmental Bore Of The Year Award is granted to GOB, the environmental pressure group, for banging on and on and on about the proposed golf course on the Son Bosc finca in Muro. Get those diggers out! (7 December for instance.)
The Jimmy Savile Award For Governmental Initiatives goes to the new Balearic administration which announced that its period in office would be “The Age of the Train” (among other things, an extension of the line as far as Alcúdia is planned.) (18 July.)
The Leapy Lee Award For Self-Publicising One’s Own True Self goes to … Leapy Lee for bringing to the attention of the world Alexei Sayle’s hatchet-job on him, which would otherwise have gone unnoticed and forgotten. (17 July.)
The Ted Dexter Award For Getting Sportspeople’s Names Wrong is the prize for Riki Lash who referred to Tommy Dority (sic) and Joe Royal (sic) – in the same article. (Ted Dexter once called the fast bowler Devon Malcolm, Malcolm Devon; Dexter was chairman of the England cricket-team selectors at the time. The Lashmeister meant Tommy Docherty and Joe Royle; at least one assumes so.) (15 March.)
THE SENSIBLE AWARDS: A NOTE
These awards are to an extent, but not exclusively, personal. If I had never heard any good recommendations or comments regarding the award-winners, they would never have been chosen. In my work with the websites and with the local guides, I hear all sorts of remarks, and these I duly take on board. It is of course difficult to choose one place over another (especially when so many, but not all, are clients), but this blog works according to different criteria than the websites or guides; it is, ultimately, personal, but does not seek to favour one establishment over another. The awards are as much a point of entertainment and starting-point for information and debate as anything else.
This all said, I’d like to go into a bit of detail about the award-winners.
JKs: Best Bar. What gives JKs this accolade is partly the fact that it is open all year, but this is not all. Jane and Kevin have worked hard at creating a bar with a multiplicity of offers. It is family, it is drinkers, it is sports, it is food. It gets best bar as it does so much so well.
Es Turó: Best Restaurant. This was really the best find of last year. It was working on new business in Can Picafort that brought it onto my radar. Though living not that far from the restaurant, I was unaware of it … until going there and trying it. The food is good, not outstanding, but good. It is the atmosphere and the sheer magnificence of the setting that do it.
No Frills Excursions: Best Business. If there were one business out of all in the northern zone that would get this accolade (including bars, restaurants and others), it would be No Frills. I know of no other business that gets the level of commendation that Toni and Seamus do.
José, Bony: Person of the year. A jokey entry perhaps, but José is a heck of a character. Café Bony is not just José, but his personality defines the place, and that personality is one that attracts people back year after year.
La Birreria and Vamps: Best New Bars. Bars come and go. What defines both these bars is their innovation. This is increasingly important, and both have carved out strong reputations as a consequence. They are very different: La Birreria has focused on a pub atmosphere with a vast range of beers and live music, Vamps has focused on adult-style entertainment also with live music.
Sa Caseta and Sal i Oli: Best New Restaurants. Once again, new restaurants come and go. Why these two very different places? Sa Caseta is a converted old town house in Alcúdia with a terrific and economical range of pizzas and Italian food, Sal i Oli is an unremarkable looking place by contrast but, boy, is the food good. Caseta has some roots in the excellent Little Italy in Puerto Pollensa and Sal in the equally excellent L’Almirant also in Puerto Pollensa.
Festas and Foxes Arms: Most Popular Bars. These are special awards as they are based only on recommendations sent to www.thealcudiaguide.com. Both share one thing, they are not that big, but they also share great reputations in their differing ways (see all the comments for both under Bars Alcúdia on www.thealcudiaguide.com).
Little Britain: Heart in the Right Place. Another special award. Not only is this an excellent small British supermarket, but also Steve and Urbano offer charitable assistance and offer a personal service that is hard to beat, and it is over and above what one might expect, things I have commented on in the blog.
So there you are. These are some short explanations. In each category, there are many other worthies. Tell me about them.
QUIZ
Last time – it was of course Slade. No quiz today. Normal-ish service starts up again tomorrow, rather like Network Rail – possibly.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL!!!
(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)
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