Saturday 17 May 2014

The Moors and the Christians


The valley is very quiet this morning - sleeping off hangovers and excitement from yesterday, the day of Es Firo, when the local people remember the day the Moors reached the town of Soller in 1561. The Moors were driven out of Spain, as every historian knows, by Ferdinand and Isabela in 1492.







But not so well known is the fact that they mounted dozens of attacks on the Balearic Islands for hundreds of years thereafter. They arrived at every port on the island - Plama, Alcudia, Pollensa, Andratx and all have similar festivities when they remember this historical affront.


But the best of them all is Es Firo in Soller - so put it in the diary for next year. It is always the second Monday in May. See you there!