As a resident here, who writes the of joys of the Soller Valley, I feel personally responsible if the weather gods play up. I meet visitors and find myself apologising that their stay has been marred by rain, high winds and rough seas. Personally I know we need the rain and I love the beauty of a rough sea, but that is not the point. Fortunately most people currently visiting have another agenda of meeting friends and family or sorting out their second home.
Although some of those currently here contacted Sollerweb in advance to know if November is a good month to visit. It is to those people I feel doubly responsible.
The land has turned green again after all the rain and the grass looks like grass. It is a very beautiful rain washed world which greets us, and will take us into winter. The countdown has already begun towards Christmas and decisions in the Soller Valley retail world are being taken on their shop front decorations. The Town Hall already have many of the lights erected waiting for the switch on in early December.
Soller tunnel
In 2022 new visitors will come into a world where the Soller Tunnel is completely clear of barriers. It will be as if the paying world of the past 24 years has not existed. They will find a new Boulevard replacing our fine street of the Gran Via. The Market Hall area is set for a major transformation into a recreational and social space. Car parks will emerge where we never thought them possible.
Meanwhile the Sa Mola Tunnel entrance has a few months of works to stop rocks and boulders falling on the road. The whole of the seafront is in for massive retiling and sorting of the street furniture. More innovative parking areas are promised including an underground one under the Camp de Football.
The money for all these projects are coming from different purses. The Government, the Town Hall, European funding for coastal areas and so it goes on. Sometimes we wonder when works overlap if the right and left hands ever talk to one another.
The result of all this is a gift to the current politicians. If all this happens and goes well under their watch they are going to have mighty political platform. They will be loving all this achievement to talk the talk for the next elections. This happens in less than two years.
Project problem
The project which continues to cause a problem in the extension of the cycle lane on the main road down to the sea.
The Consell of Majorca admitted in a meeting this week they can’t find an easy solution. All public land from the Monument roundabout to the sea is already used. It sits into the passing place for the trams and runs alongside the torrent. A plan for this was put forward years ago for this but shelved because it was too difficult. Now the engineers are required to look at it again.
Flyovers and futuristic design are in the mix but all very unlikely.
Soller train
This is the week the decision will be made about the Soller Train winter shutdown. The date has oscillated between 15th November and 7th December. The Ferrocarril has to get permissions for its shutdown from the government and currently they are predicting it will be 15th November after all. A huge disappointment to all the retail and restaurant outlets in the Soller Valley.
Double jabs
Double jabs this week for some in the Soller Valley. The PAC have been calling people in to receive their Covid Booster and their Flu jab simultaneously. What joy – a jab in either arm!
The reaction from all is to make no plans for the couple of days after the injection in case the reaction is interesting. As I developed shingles after my second jab I am not looking forward to the third one at all. Have to check on the TV I have missed in case a day on the sofa might be called for. Such is life for us all and moaning seems so ungrateful when half the world haven’t even received one injection. We are very fortunate here in Spain.