The historical district of Palma hit by the crisis still resists to heat

Unlike Angers "cité", the historical district of the town, the ancient core of Palma de Mallorca is alive. Hundreds of stores are along the narrow, dark and sinuous streets of the capital of the island. But changes are nevertheless on way. Since a long time, the stores owners born in the island gave up and sold their shops to international companies, still eager to reach hundreds of thousands of tourists who walk in the streets for (officialy) local products.


But the economic crisis which hit Spain since 2007  has lead Mallorcan stores owners to sell their shops to Chinese traders, most of them specialized in garments and shoes, easily identified by pedestrians thanks to the piles of cardboxes on the frontside of the stores. Most of the streets are prohibited to cars and those which still circulate with do it with difficulty in the ways where there are still admitted because the bikes are much more numerous than before.


The schedules for shopping are strict. Open from 9 am to 2 pm, the stores shuts abruptly at the same time and will reopen at 4 pm till 8 pm when suddenly the streets become empty and silent. It's not the case during the very hot temperatures the city experimented that week : 37°. The crowd appreciates to walk in the historical core of Palma eager to find a milder atmosphere.