A native Mallorcan grape variety, Callet is for wine – not for New Year’s Eve. Buy small, sweet and seedless grapes for easier gulping!
For our first New Year’s Eve after moving to rural Mallorca (2004) we decided to do something we hadn’t ever done in the UK: go to the capital to see in the New Year. We booked ourselves into a very reasonable small hotel in Palma (Hotel Cannes – alas, no longer open) and took the train into the city from Manacor. The country folk were heading for A Big Night Out in the City!
Much to our surprise, the return journey was free of charge – although the ticket man on the train insisted on giving everyone a ‘free’ single journey ticket. At the time, there were no automated barriers in either station, so this seemed slightly quirky; we wondered how much it had cost to have these special tickets printed . . .
Whining About Dining
We planned to eat out and then go to Plaza Cort, in the centre of Palma, where there’s a real party atmosphere on New Year’s Eve – with live music, plenty of revelry, and these days the presence of the Balearics’ TV station IB3. To our surprise, we found that most restaurants in Palma were closed, and after trudging the streets – stomachs rumbling – we finally found an Italian restaurant with one free table, which we commandeered without even looking at the menu. We were desperate – having been on the verge of gobbling down the 24 grapes we’d brought with us for the Spanish tradition of downing one grape each time the clock chimes at midnight.
The food wasn’t memorable, but we went on to have a great night in Plaza Cort, dancing to a lively band. It was 2.40am when we finally returned to our hotel to catch some sleep before our return train journey home.
Showtime!
The journey was a long one: the train was packed (with free travel, no surprise), and stopped at every station and, unusually, there was music playing throughout the carriages. After a late night and a few glasses of cava, the driver’s selection (we imagined this was his privilege for working on New Year’s Day) of rousing show tunes made sure that we didn’t fall asleep during the journey. We couldn’t complain though: our journey again cost us nothing and we had another ‘free’ ticket to show for it.
When in Rome . . .
The next year we decided to check out the celebrations closer to home, among the locals. At 11pm we went into Manacor with the aim of having a drink in one of the numerous bars, before assembling at the church with the throngs of locals. It would have been a great plan if all the bars hadn’t been closed. We thought of past New Year’s Eve celebrations in the UK – all somewhat livelier than anything we’d seen – or have seen since – in Mallorca.
As we wandered around the deserted town centre, clutching our bags of grapes, we remembered friends telling us that New Year’s Eve is usually a family celebration for Mallorcans, taking place over a special meal at home (hence, many restaurants are closed for the night). Finally, at 11.45pm the bar next to the church opened its doors: we bought ourselves a drink and watched as, slowly, groups of people began to assemble outside the church, where a band had set up their instruments on a wooden stage and was in the process of tuning up.
Our grapes at the ready, we joined the crowd outside and duly welcomed in the New Year. After the church bells had rung and we’d gobbled down our grapes, the band struck up and we joined in the dancing. But by 12.20am most people had wandered off home, leaving a not very large group of young hardcore partygoers still throwing shapes to the music. We ambled off to our car, making our first New Year’s Resolution: Do something different for the next New Year’s Eve!
Of course, this time of year is not all about partying. It’s a time to share with loved ones, to reflect on the year behind you, and make plans for the one ahead. However you spend your New Year’s Eve, enjoy it, and may 2013 be a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year for you and, if you’re a blogger, a successful one.
Molts d’anys – as they say in these parts.
Jan Edwards 2012
it seems surprising that it is hard to find a lively bunch on New Year’s Eve among Spaniards. I guess you are right, everyone is with family. Do you have any children with whom you might (some day) pass the festive times? We have three but they have all flown the nest.
Thankfully, they all still live in our state but all have their own lives. This is something I had not realized could happen. It’s rather sad, actually. Two of them had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and one flew to the East Coast with his girl friend. This is the first time this has happened, not ONE of them was home for the holidays! We have discussed the possibility of spending the long Winter in Mexico and maybe renting our cabin to some ski bums.
All that will take time to arrange and then there is the fact that we are both still working.
Oh well……someday!
I like the idea of eating one grape for each stroke of the clock at midnight. Hmmm….don’t have any grapes, maybe we could eat one raisin? That will have to do!
I saw on the BBC America channel early this am that it was actually the very moment of midnight in Auckland, N.Z. at 4 am here. That was an aha moment for me, never having thought much about the great time difference.
By the way, yo hablo español. Do you also speak it?
Así ,¡feliz año nuevo!
Caterina B
I think things are livelier on the mainland than they are on Mallorca. The Boss has two grown-up sons, who live in the UK and have pretty full lives. They visit during the summer when the weather’s good and spend Christmas with their mother. It would be good to have family over at Christmas but space is short here and flights are expensive and infrequent during the winter. Sadly, I didn’t have children, but I feel like a bit of a cat ‘mum’ as we have nine in total! I think I would have found it very difficult to ‘let go’, if I’d had children, so I can empathise with your feelings.
The idea of spending winter in Mexico sounds good if you can achieve it – something of a contrast to Canada, in many ways, I imagine!
Si, hablo español, entonces,¡feliz año nuevo!
A happy and healthy new year Jan and Richard from a fragile inhabitant of SUNNY Somerset
Michael x
And a Happy and Healthy (and not too fragile!) New Year to you too! Internet was out of action on
NYD, but now working again. Glad to hear that Somerset still gets sunshine sometimes!
Happy New Year to you both! That was an interesting story about NYE!
And a Happy New Year to you too Denise, with good health and plenty of inspiration!