Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Spain - Balearic Islands - Mallorca (2)


Cala Sanau or Felanitx, in Majorca, Balearic Islands.

The second of the eight postcards sent by Gerard who lives in Majorca.

This is from Wikipedia : Felanitx is a municipality in the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, and is located in the southeast of Majorca. It covers an area of 169.57 km² and as of 2005 had 16,566 inhabitants.

Felanitx is an old town 48 kilometres from the capital Palma, dating back to the 13th century during the Catalan conquest of the island.

Felanitx is the birthplace of Miquel Barcelo a Spanish contemporary painter. The town lies near the medieval Sant Salvador Monastery with its Gothic architecture.

Since 1603, when the St Agustín convent was founded, Felanitx has been famous for Els Cavallets dance, in which seven boys of between 10 and 13 years of age, wearing white trousers, red tops and green hats, dance around La Dama, another child in a dress who waves a handkerchief to the music. All dancers were male until fairly recently, when young girls were permitted to join.

Felanitx is also famous for its wine and particularly its brandy, with over 60 distilleries in the local area recorded in 1749., and earthenware watercoolers and other pottery have been produced there since at least the 3rd century BC.

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