WELCOME

JUNE 2023 - ROQUETA MAGAZINE

WELCOME BACK TO ALL OUR ROQUETA READERS!

When we first announced that Roqueta was coming back after an absence of nearly 2 years, we were overwhelmed by the positive response and pure excitement from more than 99% of the people we met. Our first posting on Facebook was met by over 50 messages of support in less than 5 minutes! Thank you to all the loyal readers for hanging in there. “Are you going to publish it on paper?” was the first question on everyone’s lips followed by further delight as we told them ‘YES’. Every issue will be available as a printed magazine, or as a digital copy online if you prefer.

The sense of anticipation around the island weighed heavily on our minds in the first few weeks. There was a lot to live up to and I spent many a night wide awake at 4am with ideas for articles swirling around my brain and many a panic as to whether we could meet our self-inflicted deadline of 1 June. However, the loyal team of contributors soon came back to help us put together this issue and Angie has been here for support and advice. Our success going forward will depend on everyone out there continuing to send us stories or suggestions.

We have missed many weddings, births, openings and closures over the past year. In this issue we are delighted to see a few new babies appearing with their young families. We also have a lovely tribute to Sheelagh Ratliff, who many of you will have known as the owner of Biniarroca hotel.

There have been some great success stories while we have been out of print. This month we talk to Matthew Meacham, the owner of Sa Punta restaurant in Es Castell who has also turned his talents to reviving the fortunes of local brands iNNat and Glop Gins and Biniarbolla herbal liqueur.

Sustainability and saving water are essential for the island going forward. This month I visited Binitord, a vineyard near Ciutadella working with GOB as part of their Land Stewardship programme. OK, I was perhaps drawn there too by Deborah’s stories of their award winning Vermut! I also discovered the hidden gem of Es Viver, the garden centre run by GOB to promote the use of indigenous plants in all our gardens. Their experts will give you advice on redesigning your garden to make it more environmentally friendly. Over 50% of the water consumed on the island is used for gardens. The Ayuntamiento in Sant Lluis is now offering money, if you replace your lawn with native plants, artificial grass, gravel or anything that will reduce the consumption of water. The price of paper has skyrocketed since Roqueta was last produced in printed form in 2020. Therefore, we are so grateful to all the advertisers that you will see in these pages who supported and put their faith in us to make this first issue possible. It is a testament to the history of the magazine that it has been remembered with such affection. Next month we will be looking back to when it all started for Roqueta in 1973. Yes, this year the magazine is 50 years old!

John and I have lived on Menorca for over 20 years. We were interviewed by Anabel for Grapevine when we first arrived in Ciutadella in 2002 to start our business Holiday Hires… and yes, we are still together! Having worked as an Editor in publishing for much of my career in the UK, we always had one eye on the magazine. For 15 years we ran the RYA sailing school and yacht charter business in Mahon. In January this year I was looking forward to my first summer without commitments. John had other ideas, pointing out that if Roqueta was to come back it was now or never.

One month into our new lifestyle there are new pressures, but these have been far outweighed by the enjoyment of meeting new people and discovering new places. We have taken a break from boats this month, but next month boats will be featuring as we look at what has been happening in the Port of Mahon – it’s a very long and complicated story and you will need to make yourself a cup of tea. We will also be looking forward at all things electric including home solar panel installation, electric cars and electric scooters. If you have a good story to tell, please get in touch.

If you would like to help us, please spread the word that Roqueta is back in the shops. If you are visiting on holiday you can subscribe to our digital copy when you return home. We will keep you up to date with all that happens on this lovely little rock and help you to look forward to your next visit.

In This Issue

ISLAND NEWS

SNIPPETS FROM ACROSS THE ISLAND, SANT JOAN, THE BIG INTERVIEW, ISLA DEL REY, VISAS, CORONATION PARTY, CASAS EN MENORCA AND PROPERTY NEWS

FOOD AND DRINK

EATING OUT, ROQUETA WINES, VINYES BINITORD, DENADA, ROQUETA RECIPES, MASTER & COMMANDER AND PAN Y VINO CELEBRATE 15 YEARS

THE GREAT OUTDOORS SUSTAINABLE GARDENING, MENORCA PRESERVATION AND SNORKELLING IN THE DARK

LOCAL NEWS

FROM CHURCH NEWS TO CHARITIES AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

WHAT’S ON

A GUIDE TO EVENTS AROUND THE ISLAND READERS’ CORNER

PIG TALES AND FUN IN THE SUN

By Christine Brooker

Hello! It is good to be back with the island news and a new chapter in Roquetas fifty year old history. As always I try to put in snippets that may interest residents and also visitors to the island who want to learn something about current affairs and the history here. This month I am unfortunately included in the news as I fractured my ankle when I fell by the recycling bins outside the Malbuger gym in Mahon. The state of the pavements in some parts of Menorca is appalling – but – I must say that the care I received in the Mateu Orfila hospital here was excellent, also the surgeon who operated too. Happy summer everyone!

TALAYOTIC RAVE CULTURE?

In recent years there have been interesting cave discoveries in Menorca from the “Talayotic” period which coincides with the bronze and early iron age. Modern technology continues to give us more information about the lives and customs of the prehistoric people on the island. The magazine Scientific Reports has published a study on locks of hair found in the Carritx cave thirty years ago that are around 3000 years old. The results are the first direct proof of the use of hallucinogenic drugs found in humans in Europe.

The drugs found in the hair contained ephedrine, atropine, and scopolamine; the investigators concluded these had been used over a long period of time and probably belonged to someone who understood the drugs and their possible effects. They were probably used to alleviate pain, such as toothache, arthritis or abscesses. The lock of hair was part of a funeral ritual and was found in a small wooden container along with combs and vessels which were sealed in a hidden part of the cave. The rituals took place during 300 years between 1100 and 800 B.C. Bodies were anointed and the locks of hair were dyed red using the roots from the wild madder plant that still grows on the island, then they were put in wooden or bone containers and sealed with a stopper.

Handover Of Coastal Laws To Councils

One interesting fact has popped up among the current election campaigns. On 1st July the Balearic Islands will finally have responsibility for the coast line, and the PSOE and PSIB in power in the Balearic Government (Govern) have promised to hand responsibilities to local island councils and town halls. This is the biggest hand over since health and education were transferred from Madrid to the islands.

The popular beach bar Los Bucaneros in Binibeca is closed; it was affected by a fire last year. The bar which is obviously affected by coastal laws is very emblematic, regular patrons were dismayed when many of the tables and chairs dotted around the rocks were no longer allowed by “costas” (the coastal authorities). It has long been a tradition to have a meal or a drink there and afterwards sit dangling your feet in the sea. Now Costas have offered the concession to the ayuntamiento in Sant Lluis for ten years provided they have adequate sewage arrangements with a septic tank, and also rebuild the public toilets which were destroyed by the fire. The ayuntamiento then intends to rent out the bar annually for just under 10.000 Euros which can be prolonged for five years. Not all is plain sailing as the descendents of the original founder of “Los Bucaneros” from 1968 to 2021 are to appeal the concession to the ayuntamiento, however when it was voted on there were no protests and the ayuntamiento pointed out that in 2021 they passed the concession on to another company.

Sant Lluis To Compensate People Removing Lawns

The ayuntamiento in Sant Lluis is finalising a decree for people who live on the coast of the municipality. If they completely or partially replace their lawns with native plants, artificial grass, gravel or anything that will reduce the consumption of water they will be compensated. The new rules will be incorporated into current legislation, and it is hoped that this will drastically reduce water consumption around the coast. It has been discovered that many use automatic watering systems during the early hours of the morning, this water filters straight through to the sea instead of the aquifer and is lost for the island; the alcaldesa admitted that recycled water should be used to water gardens and that they need to improve the supply. This has already been done in Punta Prima and Biniancolla where people should connect to the taps that have been installed in the streets to water their gardens. The ayuntamiento also intends to channel rainwater in the town and industrial estate where it will be stored in a storm tank and filtered through to the aquifer. Plans are going ahead to increase fines for those who use too much water and they will also be obliged to draw up a sustainability plan to justify their consumption.

KANE’S ROAD

Finally, after years of conflict, the stretch of Kane´s Road that runs through Bini Moti should now be open. The public right of way, originally built by the British across the island in the XVIII century under the governorship of Richard Kane, had fallen into disuse when the present main road was built and in many cases access had been cut off. This particular stretch near to Ferreries affects the Binimoti and Na Marcona farms where animals graze. There have been many confrontations with the Friends of Kane´s Road association and the high court has backed up the ayuntamiento in Ferreries who agreed that the road is publicly owned. The agreement with the owners of the farms means that an access which is being cleared of bushes and scrub etc. will run parallel to the original road, for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders. Vehicles will not be allowed through this part but the ayuntamiento will have keys to the padlocks on the original stretch so that they can go there in case of emergency, rubbish collection, cleaning etc.

Closer To A World Heritage Site

If there are no more hiccups Menorca Talayotica should finally be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in September. The route to the declaration has been fraught. In 2016, the accesses to the prehistoric sites (A talayot is a conical tower) were considered inadequate, another attempt was thwarted by another region in Spain being put forward, Covid delayed things, the meeting in 2022 should have been held in Russia... There are some conditions before we get there. The unfinished bridge on the road between Alaior and Mahon (subject of argument and change depending on your politics, and expensive for the taxpayers) must be demolished. It towers over the Rafal Rubi naveta (collective burial chamber). Some iron struts must be removed in Torre d´en Galmes and the block of concrete that the archaeologist Margaret Murray and her team from Cambridge University erected behind the taula (T shaped monument) for fear that it might topple in the 1930s, must also be removed. And then, hopefully, Menorca will have two declarations of value for the environment and heritage as it has been a Biosphere Reserve since 1993.

SANT LLUIS AND ES CASTELL, MORE CARS THAN PEOPLE

Both Sant Lluis and Es Castell have more cars registered in their municipalities than people, Sant Lluis has just over 7000 inhabitants and just under 7000 cars, Es Castell with a population of 7,525 has nearly 80 more cars. These figures are from the last census in 2022 when the population of the island was 96.467 (78,467 are over 18), and the total amount of vehicles on the island was 84.948. Of course many car hire companies search for the cheapest municipalities in order to their register cars (if they are not leasing them) so maybe this has an effect.

The Balearics Continue To Fight Against Illegal Properties Rented By Air Bnb

The Govern wants the EU to sanction the multinational platforms such as Air BnB who still promote tourist accommodation on properties that are not registered legally. Many are inadequate and are often in residential zones where permission will never be obtained. Currently it is possible to fine the owners, but not the platforms. Two councillors from the Balearics are going to Brussels to state the case yet again. They are not alone; mainland Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and cities such as Amsterdam and Berlin are suffering amongst others. Palma already has an order from the high court in Spain banning the use of multifamily properties. The law is on their side, but they lack the tools to fine the multinationals who have a powerful lobby in Brussels. A 300,000 Euro fine imposed by the Balearics on Air BnB was annulled by Brussels because they “merely” acted as intermediaries and were not responsible...

There has been an enormous effect on the islands since the platforms started; many owners find it more profitable to rent for a few months in high season than all year round and as a result local people and summer staff can´t find accommodation. Bars, restaurants and hotels are desperate for staff. Some stay in camper vans which are parked all over the place (you may have noticed!), plus people in residential areas have to suffer rowdy parties (tourists are on holiday after all) and some areas with few parking spaces find hire cars are taking up all the room.

Vandalism In Mongofra Beach

New Bishop

Menorca finally has a new bishop and a popular choice, because he is the first Menorcan to be consecrated on his native island in the cathedral at Ciutadella. Gerard Villallonga was born in Mahon in 1958, and was a teacher before becoming a catholic priest. The local priests gave him a crook made of wild olive wood. He has been in Rome, the mainland, and for some years he was the priest in Es Castell, until he was sent to a parish in Ciutadella. He celebrated his first mass at the sanctuary on the top of Monte Toro (the only mountain on the island) with local “giants” included!

In 2012 the artist Nuria Roman created a sculpture on the beach at Mongofra; it consisted of a tall piece of driftwood with a hole at the top and she called it “la aguja de la giganta” (The giants needle). It was part of Land Art, a global project to unite; mend and re establish the fractured planet, all the works of art are placed on the 40th parallel. The sculpture has caused controversy; not being to everyone’s taste and Mongofra is part of the natural “park” of S´Albufera des Grau (the nucleus of the biosphere reserve). The director of the park backed by the coastal authorities said it had to be moved. Despite the Consell backing the artist, they won and a new location was being searched for. The 40th parallel runs roughly between Favaritx and the port in Ciutadella. On 15th May it was discovered that the sculpture had been broken off and a note left saying “Aguja go home”. The remains have not been found and the Guardia Civil are investigating.

Collapse Of Itv Inspections

In Menorca you must book your car in for an ITV or MOT at a specialised testing centre. There are only two on the island. One in Mahon and one in Ciutadella. As we go to press the whole system has collapsed with no appointments available until at least August and a threat of a further strike. Therefore, drivers are being forced to drive around without a certificate in date once their ITV expires. It was believed that if you made an appointment before your ITV had expired you could keep the receipt for the appointment in your car and escape a fine. However, the Diario reported that Mahon, Es Mercadal and Es Migjorn police had been sanctioning drivers. It seems there is no homogenous police procedure on whether this is acceptable or not. In other words, being fined or not will depend on the local police who verify the documentation and the municipality of Menorca in which this happens. Let’s hope this is resolved soon!

Coinga Reduces Price Paid For Milk

Coinga, the co-operative in Alaior, the largest company that buys milk from the farmers on the island to make its dairy products, has reduced the price it is prepared to pay per litre. As of 1st May, they are only paying 48 cents instead of 50. Farmers in Menorca have repeatedly had problems when the price they receive is lower than production costs. They have been waiting patiently hoping for a rise and agricultural authorities are on their side and are pressuring COINGA. The latter says that they hope the decrease is temporary, possibly just a few months while they restructure. They have stopped producing UHT milk and now only produce fresh milk as they are concentrating on quality products such as their cheeses. Apparently, there are problems on the mainland which do not exist in the Balearics but are affecting them. There, a free market with no contracts known as “spot milk” exists and farmers are receiving as much as 64 cents per litre. Agricultural associations are meeting to try to solve the problem.

Local Elections

Local elections are looming on 28th May so will be over by the time you read this, but statistics have been released about who may or may not vote which may be of interest to some. Not everyone can vote for all the categories. Spaniards who are not resident in Spain may vote in the elections for the Balearic Parliament (Menorca has 13 representatives). Only Spaniards resident in Spain may vote for the Island Council (Consell), also for 13 councillors. For the ayuntamientos, the town halls, (114 councillors in total) any resident from the European Community may vote, plus those from countries who have an agreement with Spain. These include some in central and south America, the Caribbean, plus others such as Iceland, Norway, New Zealand and the U.K. Certainly, the non-Spaniards used to influence results in previous elections. It will be interesting to see results.