 Changing Places Week 169 W/C 14th June 2009
Matthews's teenage nephew has arrived in Majorca with his girlfriend. He knew he was holidaying in Majorca but didn't know where until he arrived at the airport and was allocated a last minute hotel space. Magaluf has the pleasure of his company and his hard earned cash. His cousins - our girls in Soller are always pleased to have a visit from trendy young relations who don't pinch their cheek and ask them if they like school. They talk a younger language and its fun for the cousins to get together. The only problem is the `love thing' - our five year old granddaughter told me in all seriousness that when they come to visit they are not allowed to kiss, hug or hop……..apparently this is not the done thing. It's that hopping that worries me - watch out Sam - enjoy your visit to your Soller cousins but beware the hopping it can get you into such trouble...
End of term and the fun week is here; Kate and her classmates dressed as pirates and went to a special schools production of the Pirates show in Magaluf... That started the last week of term to be followed by `dress down days' - where uniform is swapped for their own clothes for a day and a school picnic. This of course has coincided with our mini heat wave so it feels like the school term has already ended. Emma in the primary school in the Port of Soller is not to be outdone and the excitement is building up to the school fiesta that marks the end of another school year. The schools breathe a sigh of relief for about two weeks then reopen as summer schools.
Life is good for kids in the Soller valley - amongst the most beautiful scenery in the world they play on the beach, walk in the mountains and explore their small town. Now they have attained the great ages of nine and five the grandchildren are allowed out on their own to the nearest square with its swings and see saws. There is a gathering every night of local kids and the English kids who speak the language are allowed in. It is such a lovely sight to see children `playing out', messing about outside and claiming their town as their own. If there is one good reason for living here and not in London any more it is that. We have become so scared of letting our children out of our sight but here in Majorca we are beginning to let go - just a little and the children are the better for it.
A friend told me a story of her young teenage son who lives in the Port of Soller - his Sundays are spent in Deya. He catches the first bus, spends time with the restaurant owning families of his friends (friendships made at the local school) and hangs out with the Deya kids. Then he catches the 8 o clock bus home to Soller. Quality of life or what - a little independence, great food, good company and then the bus home. At his age, back in the UK it would be a very different story. This was a child who did not want to re locate but now he wouldn't have it any other way.
Ex pats - we are an interesting lot, that's the conclusion I have come to after spending our week with the Georgie Insull Singers cruising the med. Our mission was to sing in the English Church in Nice. The ex pats there have carved themselves out a spot that `will be for ever England' including the grave of the author of the hymn - Abide with me.
The large congregation had its own resident opera singer as the cantor, the organist from Notre Dame and many other talents represented. The vicar arrived for a three month locum post and is still there eleven years later. An interesting, eclectic bunch of people - who appreciated the music that we brought to the South of France as one of many musical interludes of their calendar. An eclectic, eccentric bunch rather like us - the Georgie Insull Singers from Majorca.
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