2nd October 2009

A Chaplain’s Diary

Harvest Blues

 

Read no further

 

I’ve really got them today!  I’m the epitomy of a grumpy old man.  Blame it on the weather if you wish, but that would be gracious of you.  The truth is - I actually am a grumpy old man!  Perhaps it comes with age, the testosterone level isn’t what it used to be and the world has got it in for me.  So, dear Reader, if you are erring on the side of being slightly depressive, read no further.  This week’s column could well finish you off and have you diving for the gin bottle. 

 

Flight not guaranteed

 

Easyjet are seriously thinking of pulling out of East Midlands Airport as a departure point for Palma.  A few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from them to say that my Christmas flight back to the U.K. on 26^th December was secure and there would be a flight, but that there was a question mark over my return flight on Saturday 2^nd January.  By that stage they might have pulled out of East Midlands Airport due to, what they consider are high operating costs.  To date they are not able to guarantee that January flight but say they will let me know by December.  That is fine but if they do pull out of East Midlands and my flight is cancelled, I shall be the one to suffer, not them.  By December other carriers’ flights will have gone up in price and if I simply switch to an alternative Easyjet airport I shall have to pay an additional cost on my car hire because I shall be flying into one airport but then flying out of another.  I understand their problems but I wonder what allowance they will make for mine?

 

Within a fortnight

 

A few years ago, we had a lift installed to help people who are not so mobile get into church and down to the Coleman Hall.  We agonised long and hard which particular make to buy.  We didn’t want to buy the cheapest, and we certainly didn’t want to buy from the company who couldn’t even be bothered to give us a proper quotation.  We decided on a lift made by the well known company, Schindler.  As we have used the lift over the last couple of years it’s become obvious that we need a proper handrail for people to hang on to.  We phoned Schindler in May and they promised to get someone round to give us a quote.  No one appeared.  We phoned again at least half a dozen times and still no one has turned up.  A week last Wednesday their Commercial Director promised someone would be here within a fortnight.  We wait with bated breath to see what happens.  As of today Herr Schindler’s representative has still to appear. 

 

Price increases

 

I’m an avid reader of all the Letters to the Editor in the Daily Bulletin; whingeing about price increases on the island.  I know they’re right and I’m sure that everybody can tell of similar examples.  But now it’s my turn to whinge.  Last week I was charged €2 for a barra.  OK I was in my shorts, unshaven and ravenous, so I suppose I did look a bit like a dodgey holiday maker – not that that should make any difference.  I didn’t have the energy to argue the toss and paid up, albeit resentfully.  It just means that I won’t go there again and they have lost out on my custom. 

For the last few years we have been using a local hotel for our Harvest Festival Lunch.  Over the years they have served us very well, the place is a delight to use, it’s air-conditioned and the buffet and grill are absolutely superb.  This year we have deserted them for somewhere cheaper.  The hotel used to charge €15 for their lunchtime buffet.  When we enquired about prices for this coming Sunday, which is our Harvest Festival weekend, we discovered that there has been a price increase of 20%.  The new price really puts it out of the reach of most of our congregation, particularly if there is a couple or family involved.  We scouted around and found somewhere cheaper, but no sooner had we booked there than the hotel rang on the mobile with a cheaper price.  Then ten minutes later they phoned back yet again with an even cheaper price.  We would have agreed to that but it was too late – we had already booked another place.  We’re not talking one table here, but a group booking of  35 people, so it’s not bad business, but it’s certainly not the way to do business in a time of recession.

 

Fantastic changing facilities

 

Right that’s enough whingeing for one day.  We have my daughter and baby grandson staying with us at the moment.  On her last trip from Palma direct to Algiers with Spanair, she made a great discovery which brought a real smile to her face.  There are fantastic baby changing facilities at Palma Airport.  No balancing on the edge of the disabled toilet whilst breast feeding, no juggling acts on chairs to change nappies, but a large modern and impeccably clean baby changing room, not only with the usual changing facilities but five proper cots as well.  She says they are the best facilities she has seen at any airport anywhere.  So, if you didn’t know already, you do now and you read it here first, so once again top marks to Palma Airport.  I’m a great fan and when you compare it to some of the U.K. airports we have a huge asset here on our doorstep.

 

Long trestle tables

 

Just some of the many Palma visitors to the Binissalem Street party. Graham Wesson, Martin McEwen and Caroline Ellis

Friends invited us to the street party in Binissalem last weekend.  It was all part of the Wine Harvest Festival.  Almost every street was decked out with long trestle tables laid up for an evening meal.  There’s obviously a lot of competition from street to street.  Some had gone absolutely over the top with linen tablecloths, candelabra and table decorations.  Parking, we had been told, would be a real problem.  Not at all.  The local authority had even arranged car parks and as a result we arrived incredibly early.   Clutching our folding chairs, we wandered around the town gawping and it was absolutely magical.  Streets were closed off, people were wandering around arm in arm and children were playing in the middle of the road.  At nine o’clock the whole town sat down as a man, a subdued hush descended apart from the rattle of cutlery and the swish of wine in glasses.  Coca, mutton soup, butifaron, sobrasada, jamon serano, olives, tostada, pamboli – was there no end to it?   And then, as the wine worked its miraculous wonders, people began talking to each other across tables.  Suddenly ensaimadas, cakes, melons, hierbas and grapes were careering around from table to table as tongues loosened and hospitality was extended.  Being Brits we were physically and mentally finished by midnight – we could take no more and our beds began to call us.  It was a great experience and if you’ve never been, try and get yourselves invited by someone next year.

 

It’s our Harvest Festival at the Anglican Church this weekend, so we shall all be “ploughing the fields and scattering” and reflecting on how lucky we are – those of us who live in Northern Europe.  Not everyone can celebrate Harvest Festival and that’s where the G8 leaders with our encouragement and support can begin to tackle Third World poverty.  As Christian Aid has been reminding us in their recent advertising campaign. Its theme is to respond to the ignorant assertion that ending Third World poverty is too big a task.   Christian Aid claims that for every excuse not to end poverty they have ten good reasons to counter them.  They argue that ending poverty is no bigger than eradicating smallpox.  It’s no bigger than liberating Europe from the Nazis.  It’s no bigger than putting a man on the moon.  It’s no bigger than bailing out the banks.  It’s no bigger than abolishing slavery.  It’s no bigger than ending apartheid.  It’s no bigger than bringing down the Berlin Wall.  It’s no bigger than creating the internet.  It’s no bigger than digging a tunnel to France.  It can be done.  We are humans, we do big tasks!

 

Our service in the Roman Catholic Church at Puerto Pollensa is at 9 o’clock and in Palma at 11 o’clock.

 

 

Fr Robert Ellis is the Anglican Chaplain of Majorca

St Philip and St James Church

Nunez de Balboa 6,

Son Armadans, Palma 07014

Tel: 971 737279

E mail: anglicanpalma@gmail.com

www.anglican-mallorca.org