Spain to allow German tourists to travel to the Balearic Islands without quarantine: 47 flights already scheduled

Bienvenido de nuevo

The Spanish government made it official today: Germans will be the first tourists allowed to try out Spain's famous sun and sand resorts in what is being called the New Normal—or what I call, “Life after the Coronavirus lockdown but not quite after COVID-19.”

The details: When, where, and how

Next week's partial opening of the country's borders is partial in two ways: 1) only for tourists from Germany and 2) only for travel to the Balearic Islands. In addition, these visitors will be exempt from the 14-day quarantine other travelers to Spain must currently undergo.

Specifically, beginning next Monday, June 15, some 10,900 German travelers are expected to begin alighting on the shores of the islands of Mallorca, Ibiza, and Menorca. (Sorry Formentera fans.) There have been 47 flights scheduled thus far—38 to Palma, 8 to Ibiza and 1 to Menorca. The first two flights are planned for Monday, and will arrive in Palma from Frankfurt and Düsseldorf. The third is scheduled on Wednesday, from Düsseldorf to Ibiza. The premiere flight to Menorca is scheduled to run June 27 from Düsseldorf.

Empty beach in Peguera, Mallorca: Marco Verch

Despite all these plans, these flights are actually provisional, since the official government declaration includes this caveat: “Additionally, by resolution of the official responsible for the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, and in accordance with the Monitoring Committee referred to in article 4, the annex may be expanded, modified, revised or updated.” (Emphasis mine.)

On arrival at the airports, passengers will have to complete health questionnaires and undergo screening by healthcare workers. Anyone with symptoms, e.g., a fever or cough, will be given a test. If the test is negative, they will have to agree to "telematic monitoring of their symptoms." A Monitoring Committee, made up of at least one representative from Spain's airports operator AENA, the Ministry of Health, the Secretary of State for Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union and relevant bodies in the areas of health and tourism in the Balearic Islands, will meet every two days.

Tourists will also have to stay a minimum of five nights and provide details about where they will be staying.

Other Special Routes Being Considered

Ibizas's sidewalk cafe's await

Other autonomous regions in Spain may soon be allowed to do something similar. Yesterday, Minister of Health  Salvador Illa said that in the coming days he expected to announce comparable agreements with other regional governments. Indeed, negotiations with the Canary Islands are reportedly in advanced stages, although at least one sticking point remains regarding mandatory requirements, since the government of the Canary Islands wants PCR tests carried out on each tourist arriving on the islands, not only those with symptoms. With the autonomous region of Galicia set to leave the state of alarm this coming Monday, it could be another candidate to open an early travel corridor with an EU country—or countries.

These early travel bubbles are consistent with the government's official declaration, which stated, "It is recommended that pilot programs be launched through the establishment of safe tourist corridors, prior to the end of the state of alarm, in order to verify the operation of the model for lifting temporary controls on internal borders and the recovery of freedom of movement.”

What does Brussels say?

Brussels actually wants to move a bit faster on all this, having recently called for the European Union's internal borders to be reopened next Monday. Some states, like Italy, have opened their borders for all citizens of countries in the Schengen area. Others, like Austria, have only done so for some of their neighbors. And a third group, of which Spain is a part, has not yet lifted barricades for anyone—at least it will not have until this exception of the new Germany-Balearic Isles route comes to pass. The European Commission wants to end this inconsistency and do way with all internal border controls in order to allow free movement from June 15 on, as detailed in a report it presented Thursday.

Source: Contando Estrelas Flickr

It seems that the EU’s call to open internal borders next week has increased pressure on Spain to open up faster. According to El País, “EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, insisted on the recommendation that internal borders must 'reopen as soon as possible.' But she added that the main thing is for everyone to open internal borders completely before opening the EU’s external ones to third-country travelers.”

Despite this, the Spanish government insists that its decisions will be made based on health criteria alone and that, regional exceptions aside, the plan remains waiting until July 1 before completely opening borders to the rest of Europe. In fact, Spain continues to prevent full mobility between its own regions. This situation is due to end by June 22, when the Spanish COVID-19 state of alarm expires.

Meanwhile, Brussels seems to have accepted the fact that the opening of borders within the EU will probably not be completed according to its dictates.

“We understand that reopening on Monday for countries that have not yet decided to do so could be complicated, and that some might take an extra week or two,” Johansson also said.

In other words, the New Normal will not arrive throughout the European Union until July—maybe.

Carlos

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Sources: “Los turistas alemanes vuelven a Baleares y sin cuarentena: ya hay 47 vuelos programados a partir del lunes,” Hugo Gutierrez, El País, 12 June 2020 and “EU’s call to open internal borders by June 15 increases pressure on Spain,” Álvaro Sánchez, El País English Edition, 11 June 2020.

Recent Newsvine articles on Spain

Here are links to some recent articles I've posted on Newsvine:

Man flabbergasted to be fired for flatulence — and belching — and nail clipping

ER has to call in firefighters with buzz-saws to rescue man's member from steel sex toy

  

Police raid Barcelona gay bars during Gay Pride celebrations

Meet a 76-year-old 'skateboarding grandpa' Video

Strip Shopping: clothing chain gives free outfits to customers who show-up only in underwear; one store tops all with nude event (Video)

For more click here.

P.S. if you like odd news (not necessarily Spanish), click here.

Various Spain related articles (and one 'seed')

Here are links to the two Spain related articles I've written for Newsvine so far this month:

ER patient found with jewelry in vagina is suspected of theft

Town sends dog poop back to pet owners through special 'lost and found' program (Video)

And here is a 'seed' I planted on 30 May: 

North America braces for strong hurricane season, while Europe faces coldest summer in 200 years

For a complete list of my Spain related articles and seeds on Newsvine, go to:

carloz.newsvine.com/spain.

Spain's Intangible Cultural Heritage

UNESCO has been keeping track of the world's tangible, or physical, patrimony through its World Heritage Site list since 1972. Then in 2003 the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was signed, which authorized UNESCO to identify non-physical cultural expressions, too. This was to include such things as music, drama, arts, crafts and more. On this 10th anniversary of the convention, the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has a total of 257 'cultural practices and expressions' on it, 13 of which are in Spain. These join the 44 physical places on the World Heritage Site list as globally recognized masterpieces of humanity.

Below are Spain's treasured thirteen:

Cant de la Sibil · la - Majorca, The Balearic Islands

The Song of the Sibyl is a musical liturgical drama with roots in Gregorian chants that was widespread in Europe in the Middle Ages. The Apocalyptic piece was banned by the 16th century Council of Trent, but continued to be performed in Majorca. It is performed during Christmas midnight masses in Catholic churches throughout the island.

• Mallorca Tourism
• www.lluc.net

Castellars - Catalonia 

These human towers, which range from six to ten 'stories' tall, from the pinya at the bottom to the l'anxeneta at the top, can be seen at events all over the region of Catalonia. Each is a collective effort of solidarity, often 'built' as part of a passionate competition among castellar groups. 

• Sixty groups operate throughout the region all year long, but most frequently from April to November. 
• The Casteller competitions held during the Festa Major de Sant Felix in Vilafranca del Penedès every August 30 and at the festival of Santa Ursula in Valls, observed on the Sunday following October 21, are the events with the deepest roots.
• www.castellersdevilafranca.cat
• www.castellersdebarcelona.cat
• Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya 

Center for Traditional Culture – a Pedagogic Project of The School Museum of Pusol - Elche, Valencia

Stared at the one-teacher rural public school of Pusol in 1968, the project has successfully integrated heritage into formal education by using teachers and external collaborators to guide children to explore, in a play atmosphere, Elche's rich heritage. The children do fieldwork data collection, museography, and they teach one another and visitors not only about heritage, but about studying and exploring heritage. The project has trained almost 500 schoolchildren and has resulted in a school museum with more than 61,000 inventory entries and 770 oral files, preserving everyday life heritage and promoting the cultural mapping of local heritage resources. Between 1968 and the mid 1980s, the project remained within the boundaries of the rural district of Pusol, where the school was based, but as knowledge of the project’s values and achievements spread, the project’s operational scope grew larger, first involving the remaining rural districts of Elche’s countryside (mid 1980s) and later the city of Elche (1990s).

• www.museopusol.com

Cultural Association of the Lime Kilns of Morón - Morón de la Frontera, Andalusia

The traditional practice of lime-making was a source of employment for Morón de la Frontera and a marker of its identity. When production was eclipsed by industrial lime, kilns fell into disuse and transmission of knowledge ceased. The project’s primary goals are to raise awareness of the practice and importance of lime-making and to improve living conditions for craftspeople. To this end, the Cultural Association of the Lime Kilns of Morón was established, and gave birth to an ethnographic centre and a living museum that displays the craft process in situ. Kilns have been restored and the project actively promotes transmission of techniques to new generations. Outreach activities in cooperation with lime craftspeople focus on recovering expertise and techniques for use in sustainable construction.

• museocaldemoron.com

Festival de los Patios - Cordoba, Andalusia

Every year in May fifty-five homes located in the historic center of Cordoba opens their doors to every traveler who wishes to enjoy the floral splendor of their courtyards.

• Competition for best patio, concerts and flamenco performances. From 8 to 19 May 2013.
• www.patiosdecordoba.es
• www.amigosdelospatioscordobeses.es

Falconry - Spain

Spain is the ideal destination to observe or participate in this traditional activity, which involves breeding and training falcons and/or other birds of prey to hunt in their natural environment.

• SpainInfo.com
• AECCA - Spain's Falconry Association
• Cetrero.com

Flamenco (Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia)

¡Flamenco! Flamenco is an artistic expression fusing song, dance and musicianship. Although Andalusia is the heartland of Flamenco, it also has roots in the regions of Murcia and Extremadura. 

• The Badasom Festival in Badajoz (Extremadura) from 10 to 13 July, with flamenco as well as Portuguese fado.
• Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas in La Unión (Murcia), the first week of August, .
• And November 16th is the Day of Flamenco in Andalusia.
• www.fundacioncantedelasminas.org

Irrigators' Tribunals of the Spanish Mediterranean

Traditional tribunals dealing with local irrigation matters. The Council of Wise Men of the Plain of Murcia, dates back to the 9th century, while the Water Tribunal of the Plain of Valencia is the oldest institution of justice in Europe. Their oral proceedings are fast, transparent and impartial. Their decision is final. In addition to their legal roles, these courts contribute to the oral transmission of knowledge derived from centuries-old cultural exchanges. They have their own specialist vocabulary peppered with Arabic borrowings. In short, the courts are long-standing repositories of local and regional identity and are of special significance to local inhabitants -- and they are something to see.

• Can be seen on Thursdays at Murcia City Hall and at the Gate of the Apostles entrance to the Cathedral of Valencia, respectively.
• www.tribunaldelasaguas.com
• www.juntadehacendados.es 

La Patum - Berga, Catalonia

During the holy week of Corpus Christi, townspeople dress as mystical and symbolical figures and dance through the streets to the beat of a kettledrum called a tabal. Among the things to be seen are turcs i cavallets (Turks and knights), maces (hell), guites (mules), àligas (eagles) vells nans i nans nous (old dwarfs and new dwarfs), gegants (paper mache  giants) and plens (with burning fuets on). This event has origins in pre-Christian summer solstice celebrations of the, which were adapted by the Catholic Church. Today it is not religious, but rather more a bit of popular street theater. 

• From May 29 to June 2 2013
• www.lapatum.cat

Mare de Deu de la Salut - Algemesi, Valencia

The Festival of Our Lady of Health dates back to the 13th century and involves theatre, dance, music and street processions. Three processions are held, one on 7 September and two on the 8th. They include Muixeranga, which are human towers similar to the Castellers but which include the performance of a dance. There are seven dance events, 63 musical compositions, street depictions of historical and biblical characters, scenes of martyrdoms, living tableaus, etc.

• www.museuvalenciadelafesta.com

Mediterranean Diet - Spain

The main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet include olive oil, cereals, fruits, vegetables, a moderate amount of meat, fish and dairy products, seasoning and spices, accompanied by wine or infusions.  UNESCO mentions Soria, in Castile-León, as a prime example of a city that is committed to the Mediterranean diet, but this glorious food can be enjoyed all over Spain.

• SpainInfo.com - Soria
• TastingSpain.es 

Misteri d'Elx - Elche, Valencia

A two-part liturgical drama dating from the Middle Ages commemorating the Dormition, Assumption and Heavenly Coronation of the Virgin Mary. It is sung in Valencian and Latin and performed in the Basilica de Santa María. Dress rehearsals can be seen on some days before the events, with part one performed on August 14th and part two on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15th.

• www.misteridelx.com
• www.visitelche.com

Whistled Language of La Gomera - La Gomera Island, Canary Islands

The Silbo Gomero replicates the islanders’ vocal language (Castilian Spanish) with whistling. Handed down over centuries from master to pupil, it is the only whistled language in the world that is fully developed and practised by a large community -- more than 22,000 inhabitants. The whistled language replaces each vowel or consonant with a whistling sound: two distinct whistles replace the five Spanish vowels, and there are four whistles for consonants. The whistles can be distinguished according to pitch and whether they are interrupted or continuous. With practice, whistlers can convey any message. The language takes advantage of the peculiar topography of the island, reverberating across its deep ravines and narrow valleys. Messages can be heard up to five miles away.

• Demonstrations can be easily be observed on a visit to the island.
• The Whistle
• www.silbogomero.com.es